Note: Each sport has a play or moment specific to it that can determine the result of a game, match, meet, or race. This series takes a look at those moments from the minds of student-athletes and how they view these moments. This installment examines the penalty kick and its influence on a soccer match.

                Few plays have more direct impact on an athletic result than the penalty kick does on a soccer match. Time literally stands still with the flick of a referee's hand, pointing to a spot on the pitch that is small in diameter but large in determination.

                For those unfamiliar, the penalty kick is a one-on-one situation between a goalkeeper and a striker, separated by 12 yards of pitch. The kick is awarded when the defending player commits an infraction inside the 18-yard box. The infraction can be something as innocent as deflecting the ball with the hand or as egregious as pulling down a player by hand or foot. The ball is placed on a spot from which the striker sends the ball toward goal with a blast from his foot, giving the goalkeeper just a split second to decide which way to move in an effort to stop the point-blank shot.

                Staring down each other in the few seconds before the referee gives permission for the play to start, one can see the mind games that go on between the two players as they try to secure any advantage possible. The Fairfield University men's soccer team have a specialist on both sides of the penalty kick, namely goalkeeper Gordon Botterill and midfielder Matt McGlinchey.

                Botterill gained his place in Fairfield history when he stopped three penalty kicks in a shootout during the 2017 MAAC Tournament semifinal, a match which the Stags went on to win and propelled the team to the MAAC championship.

                "That day was the best day of my life," Botterill said. "I always get goosebumps when I think about it. My goalkeeping hero Oliver Kahn is famous for making three penalty saves in the 2001 Champions League final and winning the game for Bayern Munich. I often watch clips of that game on a college match day to get myself ready for our game. So to look back and see similarities between what he did and the Quinnipiac game in 2017 makes me immensely proud."

                 McGlinchey received the call on both of the team's penalty kick opportunities in 2019, converting each which included a game winner in overtime against Saint Joseph's. He also converted one of the penalty kicks in that 2017 MAAC semifinal match.

                "No matter what the goalkeeper does, if I stick to my plans and what I have practiced, the goalkeeper will not be able to save this penalty," McGlinchey said. "To me, it's about having the confidence in your ability to not just score the penalty, but put it away with authority. In the MAAC semifinal, the goalkeeper guessed the correct side to dive, but because I was so confident and clear with my plans, he was simply unable to do anything about the ball flying into the corner."

                While most agree that the advantage is with the striker, goalkeepers still try to sway the leverage toward their side of the kick. Each goalkeeper has his own way achieving the edge and Botterill has his distinct ritual.

                "The penalty kick situation is a glorified guessing game, but there are things that a goalkeeper can do to gain an advantage," Botterill said. "For me, it's about trying to make the goal look as small as possible. I stand a few yards off the goal line and closer to the ball on the penalty spot. This doesn't last long before the referee asks me to return to the goal line, but I've momentarily changed the visuals for the taker, making myself look bigger in the goal. Once in the goal, I reach up to the crossbar to remind the player of my reach and that he's going to have to kick the ball right into the corner in order to beat me."

                McGlinchey has witnessed those imposing tactics many times which is why he has trained himself to discount the goalkeeper's intentions. In his mind, it's his kick to miss.

                "Some people, when taking a penalty kick, concentrate solely on the goalkeeper's minimal movements to try and gain a little idea as to which way he is going to dive," McGlinchey revealed. "However, this is not a tactic I like to use. Personally, the only person who matters in this scenario is me. If I execute the set piece like I've practiced, it doesn't matter who the goalkeeper is or what his movements are because he's not going to save it. If I start worrying about the keeper and his movements on my up, it means he's done his job in throwing me off my set plans and gives him the advantage."

                With the penalty kick holding such a large influence on the outcome, pressure looms heavily over the 12 yards that separates the goalkeeper and the striker. For McGlinchey, that pressure rests firmly on his side of the ball.

                "The pressure is on me to score the set piece," the midfielder said. "The pressure isn't on him to save it. I am expected to convert the set piece, the expectation isn't upon the goalkeeper to make the save."

                Since the pressure does not live on the goal line, Botterill looks past the inevitability of the situation and looks toward the opportunity.

                "My initial reaction when a penalty kick is called is quite calm," Botterill said. "Once the decision has been made, there's nothing I can do to change it. My first thoughts are normally, 'here we go Gordon.'"

                With the mind games done, the referee regains control and with a quick toot of his whistle sends the two players into action. In a brief moment, the game freezes in time and waits for the striker's approach.

                 "I simply go with what feels comfortable and natural to me. It's just telling myself to hit the ball with confidence and purpose and to trust in my technique," McGlinchey said. "This confidence keeps me calm. Other people may worry or panic because they cannot control the outcome. I am in complete control of everything that I am doing and it's just a case of sticking to my plans which I fully believe in."

                Since the goalkeeper can't move until the ball is sent, goalkeepers wait impatiently for their release on the line, using those precious seconds for one final inspirational moment.

                "If the angle of the run is very angled, it makes it harder for the player to disguise his kick which often makes me delay my decision longer," Botterill said. "Likewise, if the run up is fast, then I am more inclined to prepare for a powerful strike. Very often, however, the run up is well disguised and rehearsed and thus I try and stick to my instincts. To a certain extent, it may come down to who flinches first."

                If execution is perfect, the result generally results in a celebration for the offensive team. But when execution fails, the result can be a deflection that sends the ball back into play. In that moment, all players but the opposing goalkeeper spring back to play with the hopes of collecting the ball and finishing the play.

                "If there is a rebound after the save or the ball hits the post and is back in play, it's about being able to rapidly gauge if I can intervene immediately or if I should hold my position in the goal," Botterill said. "Ideally, I'd act proactively and gather the ball immediately. But if the distance to the ball is too great, the move may be too risky so I hold my ground and position myself as best I can."

                While the goalkeeper is laser focused on the ball, the striker must react just as quickly to hold his advantage over the other players who are charging the ball from behind him.

                 "You suddenly have 10 to 15 players rushing towards you from behind as soon as you take the penalty," McGlinchey said. "So if you hesitate even for a moment, it gives the defender a potential window to get a block or tackle in. By taking another shot quickly, you eliminate the possibility of disruption of the rebound."

                The celebration after a penalty kick can be delayed for the defense if a stop is made because of the potential for a rebound. The celebration is immediate for the striker and his team as the goal, a satisfaction that McGlinchey embraces.

                "I want to be the one winning the game for my team," McGlinchey said. "I want to be the one making the difference especially in a conference playoff game or NCAA game. I want to be the player who wins football matches for Fairfield. I relish the scenario (taking the penalty kick) more than regular time of a game."

                That elation is something Botterill has experienced in the past, coming off his line to take a penalty kick during a shootout.

                "When I was younger, I remember a penalty shootout that kept going back and forth in sudden death," Botterill said. "I actually ended up taking a penalty as well as saving the next one so I got the best of both worlds that day. I'll always remember that one."

                Penalty kicks have a way of being memorable regardless of if you are taking it or stopping it. Either way, the ability to impact the outcome of a game is something for which every athlete aspires.