University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Boston College
Carolina Defends #1 Rank With 2-0 Win Over Eagles
October 2, 2015 | Women's Soccer
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Joanna Boyles had a goal and an assist and Alexa Newfield tallied her team-leading seventh goal of the campaign as #1-ranked North Carolina defeated Boston College 2-0 in women's soccer action Friday afternoon at Cedar Falls Park.
The game was moved off campus after a significant downpour of rain Thursday night and all day Friday made Fetzer Field unplayable. Cedar Falls Park is a municipal owned facility and even without permanent stands almost 300 fans were in attendance.
Carolina held the territorial advantage throughout the game, outshooting the Eagles 21-3 and earning nine corner kicks to just one for BC. With the win, UNC is now 11-0-1 overall and 4-0 in the ACC in its first week in the #1 spot in the polls since early in the 2013 season. BC lost for the first time in conference play. The Eagles are 8-4-1 overall and 2-1-1 in the league.
The Tar Heels got on the board in the 16th minute off a nifty combination of passes that led to Alexa Newfield's seventh goal of the campaign. Junior midfielder Joanna Boyles fed a perfect ball down the right side of the pitch which fellow junior Cameron Castleberry took in stride. Castleberry pushed to the end line and sent a terrific cross to Newfield on the 12-yard line where she redirected the ball into the left side of the frame. The goal came at 15:36 of the match.
Carolina went on to outshoot the Eagles 11-1 in the first half. Both Jessie Scarpa in the 27th minute and Alex Kimball in the 37th minute had good looks at the frame but saw their shots go just wide.
Carolina doubled its lead at 50:44 on a world-class strike by Joanna Boyles. The Tar Heels were in the process of pressuring the BC goal with Jessie Scarpa and Alexa Newfield active in the box. BC was able to clear it out momentarily but the ball went straight to Boyles who was unattended by the defense about 30 yards out. Boyles sized up her strike and rocketed her shot into the upper right shelf from approximately 28 yards out. Boyles' goal, similar to one she had at Virginia Tech two weeks ago, gives her three on the season.
Boston College's best chance of the game came in the 53rd minute when McKenzie Meehan had a shot from about 20 yards out whistle past the right post, which had been covered aptly by UNC goalkeeper Lindsey Harris.
The Tar Heels used their depth in the second half, making multiple substitutions and closing down the game in the 4-2-3-1 formation. UNC outshot BC 10-2 in the second half and forced Alexis Bryant into four second-half saves.
BC did not have a shot on goal with Bryane Heaberlin and Lindsey Harris combining on the clean sheet, UNC's second in a row in ACC play.
The Tar Heels will head out of town for a two-game road trip, playing at Louisville Thursday at 7 p.m. and at defending NCAA champion Florida State next Sunday at 12 noon. After meeting the Seminoles, Carolina will have a three-game home stand against Duke, Notre Dame and Clemson before finishing the regular season at Miami.
