Shannon McCabe played just 31 minutes in Kansas’ soccer game Friday, but for the senior forward, it was a refreshing end to a frustrating five weeks of watching from the sideline.

It was the first time McCabe had seen action on the field since Aug. 28, when she aggravated a leg injury she sustained in an exhibition match in Brazil in May 2008. Weeks of rehab finally paid off when she was able to play against Texas Tech.

“I was, like, thinking about it during the week, and I was kind of nervous,” McCabe said. “But once I got warmed up and into the game, I was more excited.”

After the injury in August, McCabe faced the possibility of not playing the rest of the year. Because they didn’t know exactly how long the injury would take to heal, McCabe and her coaches even discussed redshirting for the year. But she wanted to complete her senior year with her classmates, so she focused on playing again this season. “A lot of stuff was going through my mind, so I finally decided to play,” she said. “I’m happy with my decision. It feels good.”

For five weeks, instead of traveling and playing with the team she has started for since her freshman year, McCabe stayed home and focused on recovering. Senior defender Lauren Jackson said that the team tried to keep McCabe and the team’s other injured players updated on road happenings with text messages, but that it wasn’t easy for the injured forward.

“It was really hard not to travel, because you kind of feel like you’re missing things that happen on the road,” McCabe said. “It’s hard to feel like you’re contributing to the team when you’re not there.”

Younger players, such as freshmen Whitney Berry and Shelby Williamson, stepped up to fill the goal-scoring role left vacant by McCabe, but said it was hard to replace her experience.

“She’s an offensive threat, obviously,” Jackson said. “We just missed her up top in general, but she also tracks in and defends well.”

Shannon’s return couldn’t have come at a better time for the Jayhawks, who desperately need victories from their last five games of the season to get a good spot in the postseason. The team’s record for the season so far is 9-5-1. As she subbed onto the field on Friday, the support from her teammates was obvious.

“You could tell the reaction of the players when we told Shannon to come in,” coach Mark Francis said. “They were all screaming and yelling because they’re happy she’s back.”

After being out so long, McCabe isn’t quite in peak condition, but she said it shouldn’t take more than a week or two to get back into shape. With the injury no longer keeping her off the field, McCabe said she only had one focus for the rest of her senior year:

“Winning games,” she said.

— Edited by Betsy Cutcliff