Annie Speese’s phenomenal freshman season last year did not have a happy ending.
In Florida’s 3-2 loss to UCF in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Speese suffered an ACL tear in her right knee with less than five minutes left in the match when she tried to trap the ball after a throw-in.
“In one sense, it was awful, because it was two bad things happening in one night,” Speese said. “I knew I had plenty of time to recover.”
Speese has bounced back since suffering the injury more than 10 months ago. Despite a slight dip in playing time, she hasn’t missed a regular-season contest for the No. 22 Gators, starting all six games at midfield.
“She’s really come along,” Burleigh said. “She started out a little bit slow at the beginning of the season, but she’s gaining momentum as she’s gaining confidence coming back from that injury. We just expect more and more from her, because she’s a good playmaker and a good finisher.”
Speese excelled in her first season, tallying eight goals and a team-best nine assists.
Her 25 points — No. 4 all-time among Gators freshman — was second to fellow midfielder Erika Tymrak (32) in 2011.
“Annie brings a certain creativity to the game that not a lot of people have,” Tymrak said. “She’s really crafty and a fun player to play with.”
Following the injury, Speese took a tenacious approach to her rehabilitation.
“I had the spring to focus on getting stronger, which is what I really needed to focus on,” she said. “I tried to keep a positive attitude about it.”
With the assistance of physical therapist Marty Huegel and team athletic trainer Emily Flood, Speese worked countless hours in the gym. Early on, her exercises consisted of strengthening her right quad and hamstring. By Summer A, she eased her way into running.
But Speese was frustrated when she didn’t see immediate results. Her teammates reminded her that coming back from an ACL tear was a gradual process.
Tymrak told Speese: “It’s going to be hard, but it’s going to be worth it. The pain now is definitely going to pay off in the end. It might suck trying to get back, and you might not feel like yourself, but we’re going to be with you along the way. You just have to push for it.”
Said Speese: “[My teammates] just kept me working hard. They didn’t let me get down on myself.”
Burleigh has cautiously managed Speese in 2012, playing her 49.2 minutes per game — 9.7 less than last year. Speese said Tuesday her right knee is at 100 percent.
“Obviously, sometimes it gets stiff like anything,” she said. “It doesn’t affect me when I play, so it’s just a matter of icing after the game and taking care of it.”
During her first five games, she recorded five shots but no goals.
But in Florida’s 3-2 win against New Mexico on Sunday, Speese finally found her offensive groove. When her defender overcommitted, she launched a long shot from the left side of the box in the 50th minute to tie the game at 1-1. The goal was her first of the season.
Surprisingly, the left-footed Speese booted the goal with her right foot.
The same knee that once bothered Speese gave her the bend and boost she needed to sink the shot.
“The fact she could score with her right, that was huge,” Tymrak said. “I’m really proud of her. It’s fun to see her progress and come back from such an injury.”
Florida sophomore forward Annie Speese (center) tied the Gators' game against New Mexico on Sept. 9 with a right-footed kick in the 50th minute. Speese tore her right ACL during Florida's loss in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season.
