Scarpa leads UNC women’s soccer in points

North Carolina attacker Summer Green snatched the lead.

Green’s 25th-minute goal didn’t just put UNC ahead against UCLA on Sunday, but it also put her ahead of her teammates with 12 points on the season.

But Green’s lead wasn’t safe.

About 28 minutes later, Jessie Scarpa joined in the scoring, bringing her season tally to 12 points and putting the Tar Heels up 2-0. Scarpa later edged past Green with a late goal to give UNC the 3-1 victory.

“Jessie Scarpa just separated herself,” Coach Anson Dorrance said. “The goals she scored were just pure will.”

Scarpa’s season has been defined by her tenacity all over the field. On Sunday, Scarpa played with that intensity, putting more shots on frame than the entire Bruins team.

“Scarpa played an unreal amount of defense and offense,” Green said.

In just seven games, Scarpa has tied the mark that 2014 points leader Joanna Boyles put up with 14 points.

What was once UNC’s weakness a season ago has now become the team’s greatest asset. A renewed Tar Heel offense has scored 26 goals this season. The team scored just 31 goals through the entire 2014 season.

After letting UCLA (3-4-0) back into the game on Sunday, it was UNC’s offense that showed up when the defense looked shaky.

Heading into ACC play, the Tar Heels (7-0-1) will need a strong offensive performance to compete in what is arguably the NCAA’s toughest conference, which features three of the top four teams in the country, including UNC at No. 4.

Scarpa has been at the helm of the UNC attack and looks to continue to lead her team on offense. But she doesn’t keep track of where she stands among her teammates, even if she is leading the race.

“We’re just trying to win games,” Scarpa said. “We’re not worried about who’s scoring.”

After suffering an ACL injury as a senior in high school, Scarpa played mainly at left back in 2014. She neither scored nor assisted on a goal, but she is a different player this year.

Dorrance believes Scarpa’s success is a result of one decision: to be the best.

“It’s a decision that now you go after everything,” Dorrance said. “What we’re starting to see among some of our players is the decision to be extraordinary.”

Dorrance recalled when he knew former player Mia Hamm made the decision to become the best. After asking her about her goals in a player’s conference, she told coaches that she wanted to become the best in the world.

Dorrance has seen Scarpa make a similar decision to dominate the game.

“I think she’s had that flick of the switch,” he said. “I see Jessie making that decision to be a significant impact player.”

Only a sophomore, Scarpa is continuing to develop her game, and with most of her career ahead of her, coaches and players can see that Scarpa is a special player.

“You’re seeing the construction of a superstar,” Dorrance said.

@_Brohammed

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