Sports Archives — The Altamont Enterprise, October 6, 2011
Guilderland gets by with one goal
By Jordan J. Michael
GUILDERLAND –– Goals are few and far between in field hockey. Scoring can only happen in the shooting circle, which is an arc drawn 16 yards from the goal on each side of the field.
On Monday, the Lady Dutch were awarded a penalty corner with about two minutes remaining in the first half after Queensbury committed a foul in the circle. After a scrum in front of the Spartans’ goal, Taylor Tyksinski got enough of the ball with her stick to score a goal.
Tyksinski scored the only goal of the afternoon. Guilderland won, 1 to 0.
“Field hockey is so hard,” said Guilderland Head Coach Dani Blanchard. “People say that every corner is supposed to be a goal. We got the one we needed.”
For a penalty corner, attacking players stand outside of the shooting circle while four defenders stand behind the goal line with the goalie. The six remaining players from the penalized team stand behind the midfield line. When the whistle blows, everyone converges on the ball that was played 10 meters from the goal.
“It’s basically a free goal if you do it right,” said senior Tri-Captain Kelsey Michele. “It’s a key scoring opportunity because it’s 10 against five. You have a serious advantage.”
Despite the advantage, it’s still difficult to score. Guilderland and Queensbury changed possession constantly.
“Most games are decided by one goal,” said Blanchard. “You have to be aggressive in the circle. It’s the most important place.”
Field hockey has less contact than soccer, but players can still be aggressive by pressing the ball and being first to the ball.
Guilderland is 3-5 in the Suburban Council. Blanchard said that her team is working on “little goals,” like intensity level. The motto for the Lady Dutch is “intensity is contagious.”
“We should be able to score more,” Michele said. “I think we’re getting better.”