Injury Can't Silence Warsaw's Hollar
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
Just a few months leading the Warsaw Lady Tigers to the 2010 Sectional 8 championship, scoring 11 goals in three games, Hollar suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscus during travel soccer that spring.
“I was dribbling the ball down the field and took it past two defenders,” Hollar said about the injury, which occurred while she was playing for the Fort Wayne Fever. “Then it was me and the goalie, but a girl came up from behind me and took me out. I actually got up and made the (penalty kick), which was kind of cool. Then I had to go out.”
The trainer on hand actually said Hollar’s knee was fine, so she went on to play in another game.
“I had no idea that I had torn it,” she said. “I just thought it was a little tweak in my knee.”
Not long into the next game, she began to suspect it was more than a tweak.
“I couldn’t cut to the side,” she said. “I tried to play another game with the torn ACL, but then I cut to the side and just fell over.”
She then went to her family doctor, who told her at first that she had indeed torn the ACL, then informed her of the torn meniscus as well.
The verdict meant the girl who had just scored 28 goals as a sophomore would be shelved for her junior season.
“For me, it was just that I had lost my complete identity,” Hollar said about hearing the prognosis.
Warsaw coach Dan Miller was also shocked to hear the news that his leading scorer would be lost for a year.
“It was definitely very difficult to deal with,” Miller said. “We did incredible things as a team last year. We won the sectional, we were very competitive with the team that made it to the Final Four in South Bend St. Joseph at the regional. We also finished second in the conference, finishing just one point shy of league champion Northridge. Add Meredith into the mix and some of those games may go the other way.”
With Hollar out, Warsaw changed it’s attention to defense, which worked as they ended the year at 13-3-2, losing 4-2 at the regional to eventual state runner-up St. Joe.
“We were much more of a defense-minded team,” Miller said about his squad, which had a school record 13 shutouts. “We return the core of our defense. This year, I see us being a much more attacking team.”
The injury to Hollar meant some other girls needed to step up a season ago, and now with her back, they have that much more confidence in what they can do.
“We do have a first team all-conference player back in Erica Gauger at midfield to lead our attack,” he said. “We also have Gabby Monroy, who’s a returning senior who had big goals for us last year. She’s had a good summer, so I look for her to be able to score a lot this year. Obviously, Meredith’s going to be a big part of the offense, but there’s also some girls stepping up from the (junior varsity) that had big years in the summer.”
In the past, Hollar’s been able to get out and use her speed to track down deep passes, setting up goal-scoring opportunities.
That strategy has worked very well, as Hollar has scored 42 goals in two seasons, leaving her just 19 shot of tying 2004-graduate Ashley Kitchens’ record of 61.
Despite Hollar’s individual scoring success, Miller wants to see some other girls get involved this season.
“We’re trying to instill a little more possession-oriented offense this year,” Miller said. “We’re hoping that won’t only benefit (Hollar), but the other girls as well. I’d love to see Meredith score 20-30 goals — I don’t want to limit her. But I’d also love to see her with 10 assists. We have other girls that are capable of having big scoring years as well. That’s why I think we’re going to be a very dangerous attacking team.”
And that possession offense may help Hollar ease into the season.
Although she played with the Fever again in the spring, she’s still a bit hesitant on the knee.
“I still feel like my speed’s not there, but hopefully I’m getting close,” she said.
“I wouldn’t say my knee was 100 percent, but now, I feel like it’s getting better.”
The knee injury also guided her to her college choice, choosing Grace College a year ago.
“I thought I was going to go to a Division I school and all this big stuff, but it ended up that God didn’t want me going there,” she said. “I think that’s why I tore my ACL, because His plan was different than mine.”
Before worrying about college soccer, she’s focusing on getting back on the field with her friends, as Warsaw opens its season Thursday at home against Huntington North.
“I think we’re going to be really good this year,” she said. “We work well as a team. There’s things we can work on, but obviously, every team does. I really think we can win the sectional and I really want to win the first game of the regional. That’s my main goal and something I really think we can achieve this year.”[[In-content Ad]]
Just a few months leading the Warsaw Lady Tigers to the 2010 Sectional 8 championship, scoring 11 goals in three games, Hollar suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscus during travel soccer that spring.
“I was dribbling the ball down the field and took it past two defenders,” Hollar said about the injury, which occurred while she was playing for the Fort Wayne Fever. “Then it was me and the goalie, but a girl came up from behind me and took me out. I actually got up and made the (penalty kick), which was kind of cool. Then I had to go out.”
The trainer on hand actually said Hollar’s knee was fine, so she went on to play in another game.
“I had no idea that I had torn it,” she said. “I just thought it was a little tweak in my knee.”
Not long into the next game, she began to suspect it was more than a tweak.
“I couldn’t cut to the side,” she said. “I tried to play another game with the torn ACL, but then I cut to the side and just fell over.”
She then went to her family doctor, who told her at first that she had indeed torn the ACL, then informed her of the torn meniscus as well.
The verdict meant the girl who had just scored 28 goals as a sophomore would be shelved for her junior season.
“For me, it was just that I had lost my complete identity,” Hollar said about hearing the prognosis.
Warsaw coach Dan Miller was also shocked to hear the news that his leading scorer would be lost for a year.
“It was definitely very difficult to deal with,” Miller said. “We did incredible things as a team last year. We won the sectional, we were very competitive with the team that made it to the Final Four in South Bend St. Joseph at the regional. We also finished second in the conference, finishing just one point shy of league champion Northridge. Add Meredith into the mix and some of those games may go the other way.”
With Hollar out, Warsaw changed it’s attention to defense, which worked as they ended the year at 13-3-2, losing 4-2 at the regional to eventual state runner-up St. Joe.
“We were much more of a defense-minded team,” Miller said about his squad, which had a school record 13 shutouts. “We return the core of our defense. This year, I see us being a much more attacking team.”
The injury to Hollar meant some other girls needed to step up a season ago, and now with her back, they have that much more confidence in what they can do.
“We do have a first team all-conference player back in Erica Gauger at midfield to lead our attack,” he said. “We also have Gabby Monroy, who’s a returning senior who had big goals for us last year. She’s had a good summer, so I look for her to be able to score a lot this year. Obviously, Meredith’s going to be a big part of the offense, but there’s also some girls stepping up from the (junior varsity) that had big years in the summer.”
In the past, Hollar’s been able to get out and use her speed to track down deep passes, setting up goal-scoring opportunities.
That strategy has worked very well, as Hollar has scored 42 goals in two seasons, leaving her just 19 shot of tying 2004-graduate Ashley Kitchens’ record of 61.
Despite Hollar’s individual scoring success, Miller wants to see some other girls get involved this season.
“We’re trying to instill a little more possession-oriented offense this year,” Miller said. “We’re hoping that won’t only benefit (Hollar), but the other girls as well. I’d love to see Meredith score 20-30 goals — I don’t want to limit her. But I’d also love to see her with 10 assists. We have other girls that are capable of having big scoring years as well. That’s why I think we’re going to be a very dangerous attacking team.”
And that possession offense may help Hollar ease into the season.
Although she played with the Fever again in the spring, she’s still a bit hesitant on the knee.
“I still feel like my speed’s not there, but hopefully I’m getting close,” she said.
“I wouldn’t say my knee was 100 percent, but now, I feel like it’s getting better.”
The knee injury also guided her to her college choice, choosing Grace College a year ago.
“I thought I was going to go to a Division I school and all this big stuff, but it ended up that God didn’t want me going there,” she said. “I think that’s why I tore my ACL, because His plan was different than mine.”
Before worrying about college soccer, she’s focusing on getting back on the field with her friends, as Warsaw opens its season Thursday at home against Huntington North.
“I think we’re going to be really good this year,” she said. “We work well as a team. There’s things we can work on, but obviously, every team does. I really think we can win the sectional and I really want to win the first game of the regional. That’s my main goal and something I really think we can achieve this year.”[[In-content Ad]]
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