SJ Quigley finished her insertion pass movements and sent the ball toward the top of the shooting circle. As it reached Tess Queen midway through the third quarter, Quigley hooked toward the left post as Syracuse’s penalty corner set play began. Her pass might have been a bit to the left, she said after the game, but Queen corralled it anyway. 

The ensuing shot from Carolin Hoffmann redirected through traffic and ended up on Quigley’s stick. For the third time this season, the sophomore, who’s become SU’s primary penalty corner inserter, sent a shot into the back of the cage, projecting the Orange back into the lead. Over on the sideline, assistant coach Katie Gerzabek flipped a white binder shut and pumped her fist.

“We just practice getting the rebound,” Quigley said, “So I was just there to tip it in.”

In No. 14 Syracuse’s (10-5, 2-3 Atlantic Coast) 4-2 over No. 20 Wake Forest (7-9, 0-5), the Orange drew eight penalty corners — exceeding their total from the previous three games combined — and converted on two of them. Offensive attacks formulated in the shooting circle and ended with Wake Forest fouls or balls off Demon Deacon feet. With the Orange midfield dominating possession and limiting Wake Forest to two shots, more formidable chances emerged. And the success on corners marked the emergence of a year-long process on the set piece.

“It’s a team effort, and everybody’s stepping up and worked on things over the summer and during the season they come out and and practice,” head coach Ange Bradley said.

For the past four years, and specifically last season, Syracuse’s penalty corners were dominated by Roos Weers and her drag flick. Insertion passes from Hoffmann would start multiple series that ended with Weers sweeping up two steps and dragging her stick through the ball. It led to 10 goals off penalty corners last season, but after Friday, the Orange have scored 12 goals in 15 games this year.

Gerzabek is primarily responsible for coordinating Syracuse’s offensive and defensive penalty corners. She’s incorporated additional sets and options with the Orange’s additional depth this season. Bradley said the Orange have different options to build pieces around, as opposed to relying solely on one player, like Weers.

“Sometimes you tend to stay with that, and she’s very good,” Bradley said about Weers.
“All-American multiple times, and this year, we don’t have that dominance.”

Weers’ departure has led to increased looks from other forwards in the Syracuse offense. Sometimes, it’s Charlotte de Vries faking a shot and driving left to set up her reverse hit. Others, the Orange operate on a normal routine and de Vries or Hoffmann flick a shot from the center.

In its first four games of 2019, Syracuse tallied more than eight penalty corners three times, including 11 against both Lafeyette and Cornell. Against St. Joseph’s on Sept. 13, it was Laura Grazioisi taking two steps to her right and notching the game winner of an Quigley insert.

“Different people have to step up, Hoffmann said. “Just a different setup.”

On Friday, the Orange took advantage of a flat Wake Forest backline to constantly pressure in the shooting circle. The Demon Deacons struggled to connect clearing passes and allowed the Orange to tip set up offensive opportunities.

Midway through the first quarter against the Demon Deacons, Graziosi timed a cross-field pass and intercepted it in stride. She sped into shooting circle and rocketed a shot. Although the penalty corner was negated due to a dangerous hit, the Orange had once again pinned Wake Forest deep in its end.

After another defensive foul in the circle, Quigley rolled the ball toward the insertion hash mark and took three steps back. Wake Forest defenders finished throwing the masks over their faces and, to the left, de Vries leveled her stick and eyed a pass. 

“She executed what she needed to do,” Bradley said.

The freshman popped up and sprinted toward the cage, pausing only briefly to pull her stick back and fired toward the cage. The Orange’s penalty corner success continued to rise as Quigley and de Vries’ sticks rose in unison. On the sideline, Gerzabek closed her white binder and cracked a smile.

Published on October 26, 2019 at 12:21 am

Contact Andrew: arcrane@syr.edu | @CraneAndrew