We have drawn 4 penalty kicks this season. Lauren Hair has drawn all 4 of them and there is definitely a skill involved in that. Dribbling with confidence and physical courage are important factors. We have had 3 penalty kicks in the last 3 games...one against BYU and two against San Diego State. Unfortunately, we missed a couple of them...or, to be accurate, they were saved.
Penalty kicks are not only great scoring chances, but also create tremendous swings of momentum in the game. With the sound of the whistle alone, the defending team is charged with emotion...they are angry at the referee and concerned about giving up a goal. The attacking team is already celebrating the fact that they are probably going to score a goal. Then comes the drama of the actual kick. Everyone clears out and much like a free throw in basketball, the kicker is left alone. The crowd goes silent and then, BAM, something dramatic happens....
There are many "theories" out there about PK's. And some of them contradict each other. Some folks think that the person fouled should take the PK because they have "earned" the right. Others say that the person fouled should never take it as they are still "smarting" from the foul and not able to concentrate on the shot. Some say shoot high...others low...some go for the corners, while others shoot up the middle (which the goalie has vacated while diving). Some say approach the ball from straight on...others from the side. We have inside of the foot passers as well as laces shooters. They all can work and they all can go terribly wrong!
Probably the most important thing is to be confident in your shot and hit is aggressively....then, be ready for a rebound as you never know. Last Thursday in the game against San Diego State, Kelly Isleib had her PK saved but was alert enough to pounce on the rebound.
This time of year PK's get even more important as in both the Mountain West Conference and NCAA tournaments, a shootout can decide the outcome of a game if it is tied after regulation. The Utes were fortunate enough to win the 2004 MWC tournament in a shootout against San Diego State...and unlucky to lose in shootouts in the 2003 NCAA tournament first round (to Idaho State) and the 2006 MWC tournament final (to UNLV).
We'll see what kind of drama awaits for us this year! It will be tough to match the 2006 NCAA tournament first round game against Idaho State. Ute midfielder Katy Reineke stepped up to take a PK with just 37 seconds left and made it to tie the score at 2-2. We eventually won the game in overtime. We'll be practicing just in case...
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