T.C. Williams goalkeeper Megan Boyle was under fire Tuesday as the Titans took on 2009 region runner-up Woodson. The Cavaliers possessed the ball for most of the game, peppering the TC sophomore with shot after shot.
Time and time again Boyle turned Woodson away, knocking down shots, booting balls away from the net and even making a nifty glove save. But the one time the Cavaliers snuck one past — a goal by senior Eliana Brown with 17:20 remaining in the first half — proved to be the difference as Woodson won 1-0.
Boyle, one of only four sophomores on the TC varsity, is in her second season as the Titans’ starting goalkeeper. She said she’s become more decisive with her defensive decision-making.
"I’m definitely a lot more confident than I was" as a freshman, Boyle said. "Skill-wise, I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better. I’m a lot more confident coming out and clearing the ball and I can set my mind more into the game. … You usually wait for [an opponent] to make a mistake and for the ball to go far ahead [before closing in to clear the ball]. But once you go, you’ve got to go. You can’t come off your line and decide to go back. You’ve just got to stay with your decision."
One of Boyle’s more impressive feats was her second-half glove save.
"She plays like a senior in sophomore shoes," TC head coach William Heresniak wrote in an e-mail. "She has more confidence in herself. She controls a lot more from the back and she is a leader."
Boyle said playing the piano in the past helped with her hand-eye coordination. She also stays sharp by juggling, sometimes three field hockey balls or hacky sacks.
"Sometimes I’ll just be home watching TV," she said, "sitting on the couch juggling."
The loss dropped TC to 6-3, 1-1 in the Patriot District. Seven of the Titans’ nine opponents have been held to two goals or fewer.
TC will travel to face West Springfield at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 23.