After three straight losses, Syracuse needed a spark to beat Hofstra.

The Orange got what it needed, scoring four goals off penalty corners and attacking with aggression. Against Atlantic Coast Conference teams the Orange has had trouble scoring, managing only three goals in the last three games. Part of the problem is that the No. 10 Orange (6-3, 0-3 ACC) had converted only one penalty corner in its last 13 attempts, something head coach Ange Bradley wanted SU to improve on.

It did, as Syracuse improved in “attention to detail, better focus, better execution,” Bradley said.

“We really have to clean (penalty corners) up. If you’re going to be a good team, you’ve got to be shooting around 33 percent on the corners,” Bradley said.

SU has converted one-third of its penalty corners only three times in a game this season, including Sunday’s game against Hofstra.

Earning the corners had not been a problem until the Orange faced ACC competition. Through eight games, the Orange was 16th in the nation with 56 penalty corners.

In games against Boston College and North Carolina, however, the Orange mustered a total of six penalty corners. Then, the Orange made adjustments.

Jordan Page, who assisted on two penalty-corner goals, emphasized training as the reason for improvement.

“I think we really focused on it,” Page said. “We did preparation on focusing and finishing and getting the rebounds. I think it really paid off today.”

After totaling six penalty corners in two games against UNC and BC, the Orange has surpassed that total in each of the last two games against Virginia and Hofstra. Syracuse upped its penalty-corner total up to seven against Virginia, but failed to convert any of those opportunities.

Against Hofstra, the Orange began finishing its crucial opportunities again. It earned nine penalty corners Sunday and converted on four, the most the Orange has scored in a game all season.

Annalena Ulbrich and Lieke Visser did all of their damage off of corners against Hofstra. Ulbrich tallied two assists and a goal and Visser scored two goals and assisted on another.

One tactic the Orange used was a fake shot off of the corner, something Syracuse mixed in, but used sparingly in the past.
“We’re really just trying to look for what’s open,” Page said. “Usually Coach calls it in and I relay the message.”

Bradley also came into the game emphasizing, “aggressive, relentless, ruthless pressure,” as the team had been timid after entering ACC play.

In three ACC games the Orange was outshot in each, but Syracuse pushed the tempo and connected passes to pepper Hofstra with 24 shots. It was the first time in four games that SU tallied more than 20 shots. The Orange’s pressure and precision passing helped create opportunities inside the circle, including some of SU’s penalty corners.

“We just played our own game, Syracuse hockey, link-up hockey,” Visser said.

Bradley hopes the team continues its aggressive play in the rest of ACC play and continues to improve.

Said Bradley, “It’s coming along. It’s not where it needs to be, but come November, no one remembers September.”

Published on September 29, 2014 at 12:06 am

Contact Chris: cjlibona@syr.edu | @ChrisLibonati