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O'Malley makes knee injury a distant memory
Sept. 2, 2005 ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - When Kerry O'Malley jogged onto McGraw-Jennings Field on a sunny afternoon in early September, she looked no different than any of her teammates. Exactly like she wanted it. St. Bonaventure's prodigious junior, an offensive threat every time she was on a soccer field last fall, is back. She's back from surgery that turned her leg purple and swollen. Back from hours of rehabilitation. Back from being too out of shape to run a half mile without being completely out of breath. And not only is O'Malley back, she's back without a brace on her right knee and with hardly a trace of the torn ligament that robbed her of half of the 2004 season. "My goal for this season was to be at 100 percent coming into the first game, almost like I was never injured at all," O'Malley said. "I wanted to put (the injury) behind me and start fresh. I think I worked hard over the summer and have accomplished that.""
Flash back to the first half of a game last October at Duquesne. O'Malley collided with a Dukes player, felt a pop in her knee, sagged down to the artificial turf. Her worst fears were confirmed later that week when tests showed that her anterior cruciate ligament had been torn, that she would need surgery and that her season was over. The injury ruined a superb start to her season and career at St. Bonaventure. O'Malley, who transferred here after spending her freshman year at Providence, had scored nine goals and assisted on six others, leading the Bonnies to a 7-2 record to that point. She had also developed a deep bond with her teammate and roommate, Heather MacDougall. "It was tough emotionally. The chemistry on the field was awesome," O'Malley recalled. "I was really nervous about it, but the surgery went well." Following the surgery, O'Malley first faced several weeks on crutches, then about six months of rehabilitation. She needed not just to strengthen her knee and the muscles in her leg, but also regain the conditioning she had lost. She made daily stops in St. Bonaventure's sports medicine room for therapy and rehabilitation with head trainer Renee Kleczcynski. O'Malley was driven by her desire to return to full strength, and by the disappointment of having to watch her teammates from the sidelines during the last 10 games. "I had never been seriously injured before, so it was very frustrating. When they first told me I could start running. I hopped on the treadmill and I couldn't even run a half mile without getting out of breath," O'Malley remembered. "That was really frustrating for me, being so out of shape. I've done a lot of lifting, strengthening my legs, and a lot of cardio work to work my way back up to the game shape I was in before." By all indications, O'Malley is very close physically to the player she was a year ago. "Kerry is a very special young lady and a special athlete. During our fitness testing at the beginning of the preseason, she was in the top three in everything we did and didn't show any signs that she had suffered an injury," said Bonnies coach Dan Magner. "I think things are going well. I feel strong ... some little aches and pains here and there, but other than that I feel good and ready to go," she said. With the injury a memory, O'Malley said she will focus on regaining the chemistry she and MacDougall, as well as the rest of their teammates, had formed early last season. "We're both really excited," said O'Malley. "(MacDougall) was working so hard over the summer. Hopefully we can start off just like we did last season. As far as the team goes, we have a lot of talent and a lot of experience. If we can work hard and work for each other, then I think we'll go far."
- Steve Mest
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