NU soccer player returns after multiple injuries

Sean Whalen

Daily nebraskan

When Alexa Cardona suffered a season-ending injury in 2008, there was no breaking news scroll on SportsCenter. The Lincoln Journal Star didn't write about it. Fans didn't speculate on message boards.

That means that few outside of the Nebraska soccer program were aware Cardona's sophomore season had ended during a meaningless preseason practice. Even those who knew were quick to pass it off as routine. After all, Cardona had injured her foot at practice. These things happen; just another case of friendly fire.

But for Cardona, that incident was just the beginning of a long struggle of injury, ineffectiveness and rehabilitation that would mark almost three years between starts for the Cornhuskers.

"The first time I was ever injured was here in college," Cardona said. "Before college, I never knew what it was like to be injured, how hard it was to not play.

"It holds you back, that you have to make up that lost time," she said. "Other players improve get faster, bigger, stronger. You have to work double as hard. But it's not just physical — you fall behind twice as much mentally."

Though no injury ever comes at a good time, Cardona's timing was especially bad. A hometown midfield recruit, from Lincoln's Pius X High School, Cardona had burst onto the scene in 2007 with an opening-day goal against Northwestern. By the end of the season, she was a starter, finishing fourth on the team in points.

2008 was supposed to be Cardona's breakout year. Instead, the team was forced to move on without her.

"Alexa was one of my closest friends and her injury was tough for me," said former Husker Carly Peetz. "Being selfish and wanting to win, I wanted to play next to her. Her creativity, energy and drive are awesome and we really noticed it when she was gone."

Peetz, more than others, felt the sting of Cardona's injury. Teammates and best friends at Pius, Peetz was the player on best terms with Cardona when the injury happened.

Though Peetz was a year ahead of Cardona at Pius, she remembers meeting Cardona on the soccer field. Peetz "immediately noticed (Cardona's) talent and loved her personality" and the two helped lead Pius to two state titles and a runner-up finish the three years they were together.

For NU coach John Walker, adding Cardona to the program was a no-brainer.

"I loved her risk-taking, her one-on-one ability," Walker said. "Those were characteristics that marked many great players here. Plus, I want players who want to be here, and it was clear from day one that she did."

Her desire to be on the field for Nebraska helped her through the rehabilitation process for what Peetz described as an "unusual injury." Though it took her a year to do so, she made it back on the field — but not at 100 percent.

The Cardona that came back from the injury wasn't the same.

Maybe she hadn't totally healed. Maybe she was rusty. Maybe she had "stood still" for too long.

Either way, as a sophomore in 2009, she couldn't crack the starting lineup. Then, just 11 games into her return, her season was ended with another injury — this time, a dislocated knee cap.

"The worst pain I endured was the (knee cap)," Cardona said. "It wasn't the longest lasting injury, maybe, but it was the most painful."

Many people may have quit in the situation. Cardona admitted feeling a bit of "why me" feelings at first, but resolved to start again.

She would have to do so, though, without Peetz. Peetz graduated last year as a First Team All-Big 12 selection before going on to play professionally. But Peetz missed her teammates, whom both she and Cardona regard as a second family, and she returned to finish her communications degree and serve as a student coach for the Huskers.

"When I was with the team, Alexa was always the one whom I confided in," Peetz said. "When I left school, I missed her. She's an energetic personality, so we butted heads a lot. She's definitely the type to get in your face, but when you leave the field, there's always a feeling of mutual respect. I don't know how many people I can say that about."

But, happily for all involved, Cardona returned again, this time in a form much more like her freshman year.

On Friday, Cardona returned to the starting lineup against Loyola Chicago, something she doesn't believe could have happened without the support of the coaching staff and her teammates.

"The team support is what got me through it," Cardona said. "But the team is so conscious of it, they go out of their way to help, make you feel still part of the team. The players, coaches, trainers- they're all awesome."

While Walker is still cautious about heaping too much praise on Cardona, he has liked what he's seen so far.

"Her creativity and one-on-one abilities are just as sharp as they've ever been," Walker said. "While it's still early to assess, if she works on her crossing and finishing, she'll definitely be a major part of the program. The injuries derailed her career for a while, but now it's back on track."

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