Penalty corners can be a team’s best friend. Or its worst enemy.
When the Northwestern field hockey team (4-6, 0-2 Big Ten) hosts No. 13 Iowa today at Lakeside Field — its third ranked opponent in the last week — stopping the Hawkeyes’ penalty corners will be a top priority.
NU conceded only four penalty corners in the first contest between these two teams — and Iowa (6-3, 1-0) managed to convert on two of them in its 4-1 victory on Sept. 28.
But the Wildcats bounced back in their next match against No. 6 Penn State on Saturday.
Although NU lost in overtime, 1-0, it shut down all 15 of the Nittany Lions’ penalty corners.
“Our corner defense has been very strong, and I have total confidence in them,” NU head coach Marisa Didio said. “We proved (against Penn State) that we can shutout anybody.”
NU is used to defending corners this season, having allowed 68 penalty corners in 10 contests, while generating only 53 of their own.
Penalty corners are awarded to the opposing team if a player intentionally hits the ball back through her own endline, or she commits a foul against an offensive player in her own 25-yard box.
To take a penalty corner, one member of the offense passes the ball from a designated spot on her own team’s endline to one of her teammates.
To defend the corner, three members of the defense and the goalkeeper have to stay behind their own goal line until the ball enters the field of play.
Once the corner is initiated, the four members of the defense can rush forward from behind the goal line to defend the ball.
Meanwhile, the other seven defensive players, who must stay behind the 50-yard line prior to the penalty, are allowed to re-enter the action once the ball is in play.
The attacker who receives the entry ball can either take the shot or pass it off to one of her teammates.
“When you defend it, you try and stop the direct shot first,” freshman midfielder Christie Nannicelli said. “You’re just trying to get the ball out of there because you’re at a huge disadvantage for that short period of time.”
The Cats are looking to redeem themselves after dropping their first contest against the Hawkeyes.
“It’s important because it’s a Big Ten match,” Nannicelli said. “But there’s definitely a chance for revenge that we’re after — especially since this may be the last chance for the seniors.”
NU’s defense did an impressive job defending penalty corners, as well as slowing down a potent Penn State offense last Saturday, with great work from senior back Lindsey Millard.
But there must be a repeat performance and some offensive help if the Cats hope to upset the Hawkeyes.
“We could stand to be more aggressive on defense and produce more on offense,” said Didio. “We’re working on making the opposing defense feel uncomfortable.”
NU had its hands full with the Penn State attack and had little opportunity to create any chances of its own. The Cats managed just one shot on goal and one penalty corner in the match.
The Cats have also scored only one goal in two Big Ten matchups this season.
But Nannicelli, who is responsible for that single goal, doesn’t see any issues with scoring.
“There are no worries about our offense,” Nanniceli said. “It’s all in our hands. If we can create our own opportunities, we can finish them.”
