Lincoln-Way East’s Eva Dilger remembers the day that changed her life.
That’s what happens when you tear your left ACL and lose most of your season.
“It was in practice and we were doing a one-v-two full-court dribble,” Dilger said of her junior year. “I went to do a spin move, I went to reverse it, and I landed wrong.
“I heard a pop — like a crack.”
Dilger has returned, however, and she’s contributing for the Griffins. But the senior forward also has a new perspective.
“I’m planning to go to school to study physical therapy because I was in physical therapy so long,” Dilger said of her college plan. “My physical therapist inspired me to work hard and she kept motivating.
“Being in physical therapy for like a year with the same physical therapist, you really build a connection. I want to have that connection with people and help them.”
Sporting a shiny black knee brace, the 5-foot-11 Dilger delivered solid minutes Tuesday night for the host Griffins in a 55-45 victory over Stagg in a SouthWest Suburban Conference crossover game in Frankfort.
Dilger came off the bench and helped neutralize Stagg’s inside game, but she also hit a clutch 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter that kept the pesky Chargers (11-8) at bay.
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Stagg just wouldn’t go away, getting 14 points from sophomore guard Abbey Hobart and 12 from senior guard Ameli Sanchez. In fact, after Dilger’s 3-pointer, Hobart made one as time expired in the third, cutting the deficit to 40-38.
Afterward, senior guard Lilly Dockemeyer — who scored 15 points, including four 3-pointers — looked back on the injury and how far Dilger has come in a year for the Griffins (18-3).
“I was on the opposite side of the court, and I just remember seeing her go down,” Dockemeyer said. “We all thought she just fell and was going to get up again.”
Dilger, who previously played softball, initially wasn’t sure the injury was as bad as it turned out to be. In fact, she felt like it was slowly getting better, but after a couple of weeks she had an MRI, which revealed the tear.
She had surgery about a month later.
Rehabilitating her knee was physically very challenging.
“It was tough because the main thing is to get the strength back after surgery,” Dilger said. “Getting back to being full in practice with contact, you’ve got to take it bit by bit and celebrate the little wins.”
At the start of this season, Dilger was limited to noncontact practice. By early December, she was able to go full contact. Getting in games followed over the holidays.
That’s just the physical side of the injury. There was also the mental aspect, which included waves of discouragement. But that built her toughness.
“I just got to remember the end goal is to be here playing with my team,” she said. “Even if I get discouraged about the little things, I’ve got people behind me to support me.”
That’s where Dockemeyer comes in, along with seniors Lana Kerley, Maddie Yacobozzi and Illinois recruit Hayven Smith, who scored seven of her 15 points in the final four minutes to seal the victory.
“Her first practice back, when we heard she could do contact, we were just jumping around and excited,” Dockemeyer said of Dilger.
Lincoln-Way East coach Jim Nair said he sees a bright immediate and long-term future for Dilger.
“Sometimes a negative can bring about a positive,” Nair said. “I think she went through a real tough time. She worked very hard to get back, and she can really help us.
“Come playoff time, she’s going to be a real asset.”
Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.