University of North Carolina Athletics
Jessie Scarpa is swarmed after scoring game-winng goal against Duke.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Redshirts Return To Lead Heels Past Duke
August 18, 2017 | Women's Soccer
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Carolina wins 2-1 in overtime.
CARY, N.C. – Jessie Scarpa scored off an assist by Joanna Boyles in the fourth minute of overtime Friday night to lift the sixth-ranked University of North Carolina women's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over 12th-ranked Duke before an overflow crowd of 2,012 fans at WakeMed Soccer Park.
UNC is playing its 2017 home games in Cary while a new Fetzer Field is being built on campus. With seating for only around 500 spectators, fans filled every available nook and cranny of the Koka Booth Stadium to watch another in the long series of titanic battles between the two old rivals. UNC earned its first win over the Blue Devils since 2014 and now leads the all-time series 38-3-2.
The matchup did not disappoint in the season opener for both teams. Scarpa and Boyles returned to the pitch Friday for Carolina for the first time since 2015 after redshirting in the 2016 campaign and they provided the key plays in the Tar Heels' come-from-behind win. Scarpa missed last year while playing with the U.S. U20 National Team at the World Cup in Papua New Guinea while Boyles redshirted after suffering an ACL tear in practice late in the 2015 season.
Their return was obviously serendipitous for Coach Anson Dorrance's side. Duke drew first blood in the match after the Tar Heels turned the ball over in the midfield. Imani Dorsey fed a ball from the left side of the field to Ella Stevens who lofted a perfectly placed ball over the Tar Heel defensive line while driving down the middle of the field. Taylor Racioppi was on the receiving end of the service and she got enough of her right foot on it to send it over the arms of UNC goalkeeper Samantha Leshnak, who was making her second career start. The goal came at 24:46 of the match.
UNC had two golden opportunities to tie the score over the next few minutes. Joanna Boyles had her shot go high at 27:46 off a direct kick and then Bridgette Andrzejewski stole a clearance pass and missed just high of the cross bar at 28:23.
Just over three minutes later, however, the Tar Heels got the tying tally after UNC freshman midfielder Emily Fox drove to the goal and drew a foul just outside the penalty area. Boyles stepped up and this time her kick was true as she sent it past the Duke defensive wall and Duke goalkeeper E.J. Proctor. It hit the underside of the cross bar and nestled into the back netting for a tie game. It was Boyles' first goal since she scored against Notre Dame on October 22, 2015.
The two teams went to halftime tied at 1-1 and with Duke having outshot Carolina 5-4 in the first half. While Carolina possessed the ball for long periods in the second half, it was Duke who seemed to create the most dangerous opportunities to get a game-winner. The two teams also combined for 11 corner kicks in the second half. Duke took 10 of the 15 shots in the second half.
The drama in the game amped up to another level in the closing two minutes of regulation as Samantha Leshnak kept the Tar Heels in the match by making two incredible saves in one-on-one chances against veteran Duke forwards who found themselves open in the penalty area. She knocked down a shot by Racioppi with 1:07 left in regulation and then made another world class save to deny a shot by Kayla McCoy with 18 seconds to play. Malinda Allen sent a follow up shot wide left and the Heels survived to play overtime.
After those late Duke chances, UNC came out with four defenders in the overtime, one of them being Scarpa, who joined Julia Ashley, Taylor Otto and Maya Worth in the back. Just under three minutes into overtime, the Tar Heels earned a corner kick from the right side. Boyles' initial service was volleyed out by the Duke defense but Dorian Bailey tracked the ball down on the right side of the box and sent the ball to Boyles' foot again. The pass could not have been truer as Scarpa skyed over two Duke defenders to head the orb down and inside the left post from 12 yards out, setting off a mass celebration on the field and in the crowd. It was the first goal for Scarpa since she scored against Liberty on November 13, 2015.
Duke finished with a 15-10 edge in shots while both teams took six corner kicks. E.J. Proctor played all 93:12 in goal for Duke and made two saves while allowing two goals. Samantha Leshnak proved to be another hero on the night for the light blue XI as in her 93:12 between the pipes she made six saves while allowing just goal.
UNC returns to the pitch next weekend in Florida. Carolina plays at UCF on Friday, August 25 at 7 p.m. and at University of South Florida on Sunday, August 27 at 1 p.m.
UNC is playing its 2017 home games in Cary while a new Fetzer Field is being built on campus. With seating for only around 500 spectators, fans filled every available nook and cranny of the Koka Booth Stadium to watch another in the long series of titanic battles between the two old rivals. UNC earned its first win over the Blue Devils since 2014 and now leads the all-time series 38-3-2.
The matchup did not disappoint in the season opener for both teams. Scarpa and Boyles returned to the pitch Friday for Carolina for the first time since 2015 after redshirting in the 2016 campaign and they provided the key plays in the Tar Heels' come-from-behind win. Scarpa missed last year while playing with the U.S. U20 National Team at the World Cup in Papua New Guinea while Boyles redshirted after suffering an ACL tear in practice late in the 2015 season.
Their return was obviously serendipitous for Coach Anson Dorrance's side. Duke drew first blood in the match after the Tar Heels turned the ball over in the midfield. Imani Dorsey fed a ball from the left side of the field to Ella Stevens who lofted a perfectly placed ball over the Tar Heel defensive line while driving down the middle of the field. Taylor Racioppi was on the receiving end of the service and she got enough of her right foot on it to send it over the arms of UNC goalkeeper Samantha Leshnak, who was making her second career start. The goal came at 24:46 of the match.
UNC had two golden opportunities to tie the score over the next few minutes. Joanna Boyles had her shot go high at 27:46 off a direct kick and then Bridgette Andrzejewski stole a clearance pass and missed just high of the cross bar at 28:23.
Just over three minutes later, however, the Tar Heels got the tying tally after UNC freshman midfielder Emily Fox drove to the goal and drew a foul just outside the penalty area. Boyles stepped up and this time her kick was true as she sent it past the Duke defensive wall and Duke goalkeeper E.J. Proctor. It hit the underside of the cross bar and nestled into the back netting for a tie game. It was Boyles' first goal since she scored against Notre Dame on October 22, 2015.
The two teams went to halftime tied at 1-1 and with Duke having outshot Carolina 5-4 in the first half. While Carolina possessed the ball for long periods in the second half, it was Duke who seemed to create the most dangerous opportunities to get a game-winner. The two teams also combined for 11 corner kicks in the second half. Duke took 10 of the 15 shots in the second half.
The drama in the game amped up to another level in the closing two minutes of regulation as Samantha Leshnak kept the Tar Heels in the match by making two incredible saves in one-on-one chances against veteran Duke forwards who found themselves open in the penalty area. She knocked down a shot by Racioppi with 1:07 left in regulation and then made another world class save to deny a shot by Kayla McCoy with 18 seconds to play. Malinda Allen sent a follow up shot wide left and the Heels survived to play overtime.
After those late Duke chances, UNC came out with four defenders in the overtime, one of them being Scarpa, who joined Julia Ashley, Taylor Otto and Maya Worth in the back. Just under three minutes into overtime, the Tar Heels earned a corner kick from the right side. Boyles' initial service was volleyed out by the Duke defense but Dorian Bailey tracked the ball down on the right side of the box and sent the ball to Boyles' foot again. The pass could not have been truer as Scarpa skyed over two Duke defenders to head the orb down and inside the left post from 12 yards out, setting off a mass celebration on the field and in the crowd. It was the first goal for Scarpa since she scored against Liberty on November 13, 2015.
Duke finished with a 15-10 edge in shots while both teams took six corner kicks. E.J. Proctor played all 93:12 in goal for Duke and made two saves while allowing two goals. Samantha Leshnak proved to be another hero on the night for the light blue XI as in her 93:12 between the pipes she made six saves while allowing just goal.
UNC returns to the pitch next weekend in Florida. Carolina plays at UCF on Friday, August 25 at 7 p.m. and at University of South Florida on Sunday, August 27 at 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
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Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's SoccerFriday, August 07
Tuesday, August 04
Thursday, July 30
Thursday, July 30