Dukes fight injury bug

File Photo Junior forward Kim Argy's ACL tear will sideline her for the rest of the 2004 season.

The women’s soccer team has been hit hard.
This season, the player hit hardest is junior forward Kim Argy, who tore her ACL during practice and is out for the year.

"Every team is affected by injuries," Argy said. "Other people will step up and score when we need to be scoring, and I don’t think we will be hurt in the long run."

The injury-riddled Dukes have shown no sign of giving up, slowing down or even looking back. Despite losing Argy, who has led the team in scoring for the past two seasons, the team is 5-3-1 in 2004.

"[Her loss] certainly has an affect on the field and in the team’s psyche," coach Dave Lombardo said. "We’d prefer to have her on the field, but we know we can still win without her."

The laundry list of injuries on the team includes sophomore defender/midfielder Lyanne Dupra, who partially tore her hamstring, junior goalkeeper Jessica Hussey who has been battling ongoing back problems and now has a tailbone injury and junior midfielder Karly Skladany, who is suffering from shin problems. Also injured are sophomore forward Sarah Cebulski who sprained her ankle Saturday against Loyola College, and freshman defender/midfielder Melanie Schaffer who is nursing a muscle pull.

All players, except Argy, are expected to play, Lombardo said.

"At this time of the season, you’ll have a lot of muscle pulls and contusions through the combat of people kicking you," Lombardo said. "We are limiting the practice of some players and giving others the day off."

Lombardo mentioned that the Dukes’ focus never has been put on a particular player. In fact, to replace Argy at forward, Lombardo instituted a "by committee" approach, which has resulted in balanced scoring in Argy’s absence.

"We don’t play with just one forward, we play with three forwards," Lombardo said. "Sarah Cebulski and [sophomore forward/midfielder] Natalie Ewell have stepped up; Melanie Schaffer had three goals this past week, as a freshman — that’s what we need."

The injuries have tested both the Dukes’ depth and the talent of the younger players.

"We still have high expectations as a team," Hussey said. "We need other people to step their game up and play well."

In the long run, the team certainly could use a healthy Argy. The best-case scenario has her being awarded a redshirt for the 2004 season and returning for two more years starting in 2005. However, Argy may not be eligible for redshirt status.

"I’m one game over the 20 percent rule for NCAA," Argy said. "We don’t know if I’m going to get the redshirt."

Argy still is guaranteed one more season, but the year after remains in question.

Because Argy played in more than 20 percent of the Dukes’ games this season, her request of what equates to a medical redshirt is likely to be rejected by the Colonial Athletic Association. In that case, Argy and Lombardo plan to appeal that rejection to an NCAA committee.

"We have to appeal to see if I can get the redshirt," Argy said. "We have a process going through and hopefully I’ll get it. We’ll see."

The CAA’s decision date is unknown.