Third time’s the charm

Two days after scoring her first collegiate goal, sophomore Regan Price tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) for the third time in her career. Price was forced to miss the remainder 2014 season just two games into the season.

“I was willing to do anything that it took to be back,” Price said. “Not to just be back on the field but to really come back and make the statement that my injuries weren’t going to define me and who I am as a player.”

Price has been hit with the injury bug dating back to her days in high school.

During the fall of her junior season in high school, Price tore her ACL for the first time going in for a tackle, ending her season.

A year later during her senior year, Price came back with a vengeance, winning player of the year honors and named to Ohio’s first team All-State.

Price then earned a scholarship to play soccer at the University of Toledo. During the second day of practices, she tore her ACL for the second time in two years, forcing her to redshirt that season.

“It was literally the first drill we did and it happened,” Price said. “No one was near me; I just cut and it happened.”

Price rehabbed and worked her way into the starting lineup in time for the start of the 2014 season.

Just one game after scoring her first collegiate goal in her first collegiate game, Price would go down for the third time in her career just two games into the season.

This tear was a little different than the rest. Price didn’t realize the severity of the injury at first due to the protective knee brace she was already wearing.

It wasn’t until the next day at practice when she was trying to run but couldn’t successfully without pain. She went to the medical team and after an MRI it was clear that she had torn it for the third time.

After tearing her ACL for the second time, frustration was clear. After tearing it for the third time, doubt was starting to creep in if she would ever play again.

“I had to keep strong faith,” Price said. “Throughout this whole journey anytime doubt started to creep in, the people that I was surrounded by didn’t really let me doubt myself.”

Price’s third ACL tear meant yet another surgery and more hours spent in rehab, and it almost meant another season her teammates would have to play without her.

“We were obviously very upset for her,” said junior forward Brooke Maletic. “I think it helped us because we watched her push herself every day and coming back from three ACL surgeries and playing is not very common.

“So the fact that she is pushing through it right now is something people can look up to.”

Instead of going home this past summer, Price decided to stay in Toledo with her athletic trainer and focus on her recovery.

Rehab consisted of strengthening drills, lateral mobility, quick cuts and shifting. In addition to physical rehabilitation drills, Price’s nutrition, sleep schedule and anything else the trainers could regulate were maintained and well-focused.

“I think coming off those kinds of serious injuries, it definitely takes time to get game fit,” said Head Coach T.J. Buchholz. “But the thing that is hard to not recognize is that [Regan] brings a relentless work rate and work ethic that is hard to match and that is something you can’t teach.”

In her first game back, the Rockets traveled to Detroit and won 3-2 in a double overtime thriller. During the National Anthem, Price became emotional as tears poured from her eyes.

“It means the world to me to be back,” Price said. “I don’t take a single second on the field for granted, ever. Even on the days that I get frustrated with myself, I remind myself that I am grateful to be able to step foot on the field again.”

Price has two goals and one assist tallied on the season while shooting nine of 21 shots on goal.

“It’s significantly valuable for us to have her back,” Buchholz said. “She’s a person who gets every aspect we want out of our players. She gives 100 percent no matter what. She is very determined as an athlete, she is very talented and she is a person of great character and that’s extremely important to us.”

While she is still getting back into the swing of things, Price has managed to be an asset for the Rocket’s averaging 50 minutes a game. In a game against Wright State earlier this season, Price managed to play 77 minutes in UT’s 1-0 victory.

“She’s a player who has played a consistent amount of minutes, whether it is starting or coming off the bench; she is a key player for us,” Buchholz said. “We can’t win games without her on the field.”

With one game remaining on the schedule, Price can see the light at the end of the tunnel for the first time in many seasons.

“It’s been really nice to get a season under my belt,” Price said. “I know it’s not over yet, but it’s definitely a confidence booster and I think year by year good things are going to come.”