COC'S KICK START MOSER GLAD TO BE BACK.Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - Lindsay Moser had high expectations in the months leading up to the 2000 women's soccer season. The former Saugus High star was determined to put up big numbers for College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. in her sophomore season and was training harder than she ever had before. But Moser, who led Western State Conference Southern Division champion COC See chip on chip. in goals scored as a freshman with 11, might have overtrained, and about six weeks before the season she was beginning to feel pain just below her left knee. Her worst fear: that she had a meniscus meniscus /me·nis·cus/ (me-nis´kus) pl. menis´ci [L.] something of crescent shape, as the concave or convex surface of a column of liquid in a pipet or buret, or a crescent-shaped cartilage in the knee joint. injury which would require surgery. ``I wanted to shine this year. I was training so hard,'' she said. Unsure of the nature of the injury, Moser was hoping to join the team when the pain subsided, But after the season began, the weeks kept dragging on and the injury wasn't healing. Moser tried practicing with the team, but she had to stop. The pain, she said, was unbearable. It got to the point where she and her coach, Phil Marcellin, agreed that it would be best if she redshirted. ``I didn't really get scared about it until I realized that I wouldn't be able to play,'' she said. ``Then it was like, this is reality, deal with it.'' Moser, who had never experienced a serious injury, said she cried herself to sleep several nights after making the decision. Shortly afterward af·ter·ward also af·ter·wards adv. At a later time; subsequently. Adv. 1. afterward - happening at a time subsequent to a reference time; "he apologized subsequently"; "he's going to the store but he'll be back here , Moser learned that the pain was not as a result of meniscus damage - as she had feared - but was a less-serious stress fracture stress fracture n. A fatigue fracture of bone caused by repeated application of a heavy load, such as the constant pounding on a surface by runners, gymnasts, and dancers. . Just one day before the Cougars had their first division match of the season against Citrus College According to the Public Policy Institute of California, Citrus College had 632 students who transferred to universities during the 2005-2006 academic year, ranking seventh in the area. Citrus College students are represented by ASCC the Associated Students of Citrus College. on Oct. 6, Moser decided to attempt a return and has since given her team a shot in the arm. At the time, COC was 3-3 in conference (7-5-2 overall), and fighting to get back into contention for a playoff play·off also play-off n. Sports 1. A final game or series of games played to break a tie. 2. A series of games played to determine a championship. Noun 1. spot. But with Moser, the Cougars have won all eight of their matches, helping them claim their second consecutive divisional championship and a Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Regional playoff berth. Playoff seeding will be announced today, with first-round matches beginning Tuesday. Moser has just three goals and one assist but has shown a knack for coming through in the clutch. On Oct. 27 against Bakersfield, she scored the tying goal with just under eight minutes remaining, setting the stage for an eventual 2-1 COC victory which decided sole possession of first place in the Southern Division. The Cougars have come from behind in four of their last eight wins. ``Her personal story is an example of our season,'' Marcellin said. ``We've had setbacks and adversity ad·ver·si·ty n. pl. ad·ver·si·ties 1. A state of hardship or affliction; misfortune. 2. A calamitous event. , but through talent and determination, we've bounced back.'' Moser, who plays forward and attacking midfielder, had to take painkillers after the first few games. But now she is pain-free and believes she has made a 100 percent recovery. ``She's great leader out there,'' COC goalie Jessica Gregg said. ``She brought a little bit of togetherness to our front line and that's made our attack better.'' Moser wants to transfer to Point Loma Point Loma is a neighborhood of San Diego, California. Geographically it is a hilly peninsula that is bordered on the west and south by the Pacific Ocean, the east by the San Diego Bay and Old Town and the north by the San Diego River. Nazarene College, an NAIA NAIA abbr. National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes school, but she said she would consider another program if scholarship money were available. She has yet to receive any offers. She acknowledged that others have told her she is capable of competing at the Division I level, but she said she'd prefer to play at a smaller school, where she could have a greater impact. ``If I trained year-round, maybe I could sit on the bench (at a Division I school), but I want to play,'' she said. ``I don't want to sit on the bench and watch other people play great soccer and think, `Oh, I wish I could do that. . . .' '' But Marcellin thinks Moser might be selling herself short. ``There's no question that she has all the tools to play at any level,'' he said. ``She would flourish in an atmosphere that was tough for her.'' Marcellin believes Moser is capable of competing in a professional women's soccer league, which is supposed to be getting off the ground in the next two years. Moser believes her greatest strengths as a player are her field awareness and her ability to engage opponents in psychological warfare psychological warfare Use of propaganda against an enemy, supported by whatever military, economic, or political measures are required, and usually intended to demoralize an enemy or to win it over to a different point of view. It has been carried on since ancient times. , skills he said were taught to her by Bruce Burnam, her former club coach. Moser said that she's learned that if she grabs an opponents hand out of an officials' view ``she just gets all mad, and then you've already beat her.'' And it's only a foul if you get caught, she said. Moser, who plans to major in physical education, said she hopes to coach soccer someday some·day adv. At an indefinite time in the future. Usage Note: The adverbs someday and sometime express future time indefinitely: We'll succeed someday. Come sometime. and possibly teach. During the offseason, she works with elementary-school students in an after-school youth center. Moser believes that the injury she experienced has taught her patience and has reminded her never to take anything in life for granted. She cites the influence of her parents and her Christian faith, with helping her get through one of the most difficult periods of her life as an athlete. Moser said her parents told her at the time that everything in life happens for a reason, and ``to look for the good in it.'' ``They were right,'' she said. ``They're always right.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Lindsay Moser thought she'd have to redshirt this season. Instead, she's leading COC into the playoffs. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer |
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