(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
In December of 2011, Matt Porter took control of the Oklahoma University soccer program with the vision to make the program one of the most elite in the nation. He gradually improved the squad year by year, but most notably, he improved it by focusing on his defense.
It only took Porter 3 years to make the Sooners one of the best defensive teams in the nation. In the 2015-16 season, the team posted a school record of 0.81 goals allowed per game and tied the school’s record of 17 goals allowed all season.
This was also defender and Arizona native Angela Boyle’s first year as a Sooner. Boyle played in twelve matches with three starts as a true freshman for one of the best defenses in the nation that year.
She made a name for herself right from the get-go, which allowed her to become a regular starter her sophomore year. In 2016, she played in 22 matches, making 18 starts, as a part of the first ever Oklahoma women’s soccer team to win 14 games in a season and make it to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
It looked like all was well for Boyle in Oklahoma, but it soon was clear that it was not the case.
Boyle was a late and the last addition to the Sun Devil squad for this season as she looked for a fresh new start, “I loved (Oklahoma University) and I loved the team, but I think that I just didn’t fit into the mold to be there and play there.”
First year ASU head coach Graham Winkworth was a strong reason for why Boyle chose ASU.
“I was feeling like I wasn’t loving the game as much, and when I first came here it was a complete turnaround. [Coach Winkworth] was really inviting and was really excited about having me, and that really brought the passion of soccer back out in me,” she explained.
For why he was interested in signing a player like Boyle, Winkworth commented on how immediately intrigued he was by her aspirations and her goals for herself and the team.
“After speaking to her I thought we had a common goal and I thought we would work well together,” he said.
There is no doubt Boyle has been a fantastic addition to the Sun Devils this year. She has played the second most minutes per game by any none-goalkeeper player on the team behind senior captain Madison Stark, who has expressed her high regards for Boyle.
“She’s just a great person to play with and I wish I had more time with her, because I love to play with her,” the captain said.
And who wouldn’t?
Boyle checks all the boxes you look for in a center back, as she is vocal, strong, aggressive, great in the air, and a solid distributor, “She’s one of the first names on the team sheet because she’s earned that,” Winkworth said. “She’s a competitor, to play center back you can’t be soft, and she’s got that mean streak about her.”
Boyle embraces the role of the competitive leader, and she’s not afraid of any challenge or any task brought upon her.
“I like to bring some aggression into the game, and I want to make my teammates determined to win,” she noted.
Boyle feels more at home playing in her native state and Winkworth feels as if she has not held back.
“I call her ‘querky’ and that’s a compliment where I’m from. Angie’s got this sense of humor that’s endearing.”
According to Winkworth, she has the perfect mentality when it is game time and when it is not.
“One minute she’ll be the meanest player on the field and the next minute she’ll pull out the weirdest crazy dance move in the middle of the airport when we’re traveling, and those types of personalities make for a fun environment.”
Boyle has felt nothing but welcomed into the Sun Devil family since joining the team, an atmosphere she enjoys.
“I feel like with other teams I’ve been in a shell, and honestly I don’t want to be in my shell because I think my best me, has been when I’m being outgoing and reaching out to people,” she explained. “They’ve all just been loving, supportive, and amazing friends.”
While she has been a great addition, Boyle still has very high expectations for herself and her team. Being 4-9-3 this season, she knows there’s a lot of work to do for this and next season, “I think we just need to stay focussed and disciplined, and keep wanting to work for each other.”
Last season with Boyle starting, the Sooners had a .563 winning percentage in the Big-12. Without Boyle, they have a .313 winning percentage in the Big-12 this year.
It is a different story for the Sun Devils, who in the Pac-12 last season had a winning percentage of .136 and this season, with Boyle in the backline, have a winning percentage of .250. These numbers prove there is no doubt that she is a difference maker.
It definitely seems like moving back home and being able to play soccer in front of her family and friends has allowed Boyle to gain a deeper appreciation and love for the game of soccer, “In the past I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with soccer, but now I definitely want to play professionally,” she says.
Boyle will look to improve her game for the remainder of this season and next, as she hopes to someday play for the U.S. or Irish national soccer team.
