Following cardiac bypass surgery last Friday, all parties involved seem to be in stable conditions considering the gravity of the situation.
Junior forward Ali Krieger, considered the heart of the Penn State women's soccer team, underwent season-ending surgery to repair a broken right fibula sustained in practice Wednesday afternoon. She will miss the entirety of the NCAA Tournament, as she will spend the first ten weeks of the rehabilitation process on crutches.
She was not in attendance as the Nittany Lions (21-0-1) routed Bucknell (11-9-1) 6-0, as she recovered from the 11:30 a.m. surgery. Two screws were placed where the ankle meets the fibula and doctors positioned a plate over the break -- the screws can come out in 10 weeks.
"That's a shame because she's by far one of their biggest cogs of their team success," Bucknell coach Ben Landis said.
She was on the minds of teammates as the game went on with Krieger rested at home. When senior forward Tiffany Weimer scored the first goal of the tournament at 22:06, she jogged into the net to retrieve the ball, then headed over to the sideline, where she gave it to teammate Holly Lincoln.
"I took the ball out of the goal and I gave it to the bench because I want that ball to go to Ali Krieger," Weimer said.
After the game, teammates went to her home and gave her the silver tournament-edition ball, where it currently resides on a mantle.
"I may put a label on it and keep it up there for memories," Krieger said.
Penn State has not flatlined in her absence, scoring 11 on the weekend to advance to the Sweet 16, but the transition to the sideline has been anything but easy, as she learned Sunday when she watched the Lions run West Virginia off the field in a 5-2 win.
"It's so tough because this is what everybody dreams about," she said. "It's what I dream about in my career, playing with a team of this caliber. I wish I could be there on the field, but I am there and each and every game I will be."
The injury came on a wet practice field Wednesday afternoon. She collided with a teammate attempting to make a slide tackle. As the teammate came down, the leg gave way.
"I was receiving the ball from the opposite side of the field and I took a touch forward and I got tackled, but it wasn't on purpose, obviously." Krieger said. "My back leg got caught and it was pretty wet out, and when they slowed up, I fell and the person fell on top of my leg. Right then and there I fell and knew there was something wrong."
Delicately the Lions have plugged replacements into the lineup.
Freshman Allie Long, who has seen time all year is starting in Krieger's spot and has a goal in each of the two tournament games. Freshman Zoe Bouchelle, normally an outside midfielder, bumped inside for parts of the Bucknell game, added a goal in the contest.
Krieger expected such output -- especially from Long, whom she sought out after learning she was done for the year.
"I told her she has to put us up on her shoulders, and she has to carry the team," Krieger said of Long.
Only time will tell if the Lions can survive the surgery. Penn State's next checkup comes this weekend against Texas A&M, while Krieger's will have to wait until offseason.
