Sara Whalen isn’t happy that the Power are 1-2. She’s not pleased that the team fell apart without her in a 6-1 loss in San Diego in the second game of the season or that a last-minute penalty kick gave the Power their second-straight defeat in her season debut against Philadelphia last Saturday. But things are certainly improving for Whalen.
“Even though we haven’t gotten the start we wanted, it’s just a relief for me to be back on the field,” said Whalen before the Power (1-2) hosted the San Jose CyberRays (1-2) last night at the Mitchel Athletic Complex. “I think we’re finally getting our team together. It seems like it’s taken a long time.”
Whalen missed the Power’s first two matches of the season after she broke three ribs and punctured a lung when she collided with San Diego’s Shannon MacMillan during an all-star game Feb. 12.
“It was horrible,” said Whalen, who had five assists for the Power a year ago as a defender and midfielder in the WUSA’s inaugural season. “I was in the hospital for a week and I couldn’t really eat or do anything.”
She wanted to be back in time for the preseason, but that proved to be unrealistic.
“I’m just grateful to have her back now,” said Power coach Pat Farmer, who also got back potent scorer Tiffeny Milbrett last night after she missed the Power’s last game while with the U.S. national team. “She brings so much to us and we really noticed that when she wasn’t out there.”
Whalen was laid up for weeks after the injury and although she felt better, it took longer than she wanted for her get back into playing shape.
“I didn’t know what to expect from myself when I played against Philadelphia,” said Whalen, who surpassed Farmer’s expectations – as well as her own – by playing all 90 minutes of the 2-1 defeat at Philadelphia. “You never know what’s going to happen, especially until you really get hit. When I actually got out there and started doing things, I got more and more confident. Now that I don’t have to worry about that stuff anymore, I know I’ll play better.”
Farmer was reassured by Whalen’s performance last week and knows she will improve as she regains the form that made her such a consistent player last year.
“I would have hoped she could last a half,” Farmer said. “She wanted to play 60, but that’s what makes her such a special player. When she gets on the field, her determination just takes over.”