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Ava Uribe knew the ball would find the net as soon as it touched her right foot.

As a redshirt sophomore playing in her first collegiate game versus UMass on Aug. 15, the forward received a long pass from defender Kate Murphy early in the contest. The ball deflected off two players, leaving Uribe to the right of the 18-yard box with only goalkeeper Bella Mendoza to beat.

As she dribbled down the field, Mendoza tried to cut off her angle, but Uribe caught her off balance. Uribe sent a line drive past the keeper’s outstretched foot and into the left corner for the score.

After the ball skidded into the net, the first to reach Uribe was Erin Flurey, who gave her a big hug. Uribe didn’t know how to react. Then, she grinned from ear to ear as her teammates mobbed her. Later, Uribe said she was simply “fired up.”

Uribe’s journey up to this point was challenging. She didn’t make an appearance as a freshman at Penn State in 2022 before transferring to Syracuse after the season. In the preseason of the 2023 campaign, Uribe tore her ACL, forcing her to miss the entirety of the year. After completing her rehab, the Sammamish, Washington, native made her Division I debut in 2024 and has started every game, leading Syracuse in points (eight) and assists (four), while scoring two goals. Uribe’s helped propel SU to a 6-1-1 record, its third-best start in program history.

“This season means so much to me,” Uribe said. “I’ve waited two very long years for the opportunity to play college soccer. In that time, never once did I doubt that I would make it here.”

Ayush Sawant | Design Editor

When SU’s captains’ practices began last July, Uribe was excited for a fresh start. After transferring from Penn State, Uribe hoped she could earn consistent playing time.

But only a few days in, Uribe tore her right ACL, ending her season.

“It crushed me,” Uribe said. “I came in expecting to make an impact and help my team in the best way I could. Not being able to help them on the field was really difficult for me.”

Uribe was a standout in high school and was rated a four-star recruit by Top Drawer Soccer. During her junior year, she committed to Penn State, one of the top women’s soccer programs in the country.

Yet, Uribe entered the transfer portal after garnering a lack of playing time as a freshman. Following a conversation with Syracuse head coach Nicky Thrasher Adams, Uribe felt she fit perfectly into SU’s aggressive offense.

“I was drawn to Syracuse based on how the ACC and Syracuse plays, and I knew that there could be a role for me,” Uribe said.

After undergoing knee surgery, she started a nine-month recovery. Uribe wanted to play again as soon as possible, but realized there was nothing she could do to speed the process up.

Still, Uribe pushed herself, making progress every day. She started using crutches following the operation. Then, she was cleared to work out on a bike and upgraded to an elliptical shortly after. A few months later, she was walking without assistance.

Senior captain Liesel Odden went through a similar experience after her ACL tear in 2022. During her rehab, Odden developed a tenacious mentality. If the trainers wanted her to do 10 reps, she’d do 12. Odden passed the same mantra to Uribe last season, and it stuck.

“I felt like it still gave me a way to compete even when I wasn’t on the field,” Odden said. “That was something we talked a little bit about and something I’ve seen in Ava where she always wants to do that extra work.”

In May, Uribe was cleared to practice for the first time since being sidelined. She joined a Washington-based USL W summer team, FC Olympia, to ramp up her fitness and get accustomed to playing contact soccer again. Since she hadn’t played much since high school, Uribe needed to adjust to facing physical defenders at the college level.

Uribe was eased in, practicing non-contact to start, but easily transitioned to going full contact a week later. Toward the end of the summer, she played in two matches after fully recovering.

“It was such a confidence-building experience for me,” Uribe said. “I think it reflected on the field because as soon as I got back to Syracuse, I was very comfortable getting into tackles and hitting the floor because I had those experiences in summer ball.”

FC Olympia head coach Ben Willis saw Uribe improve in every practice and game with the club. She was smart with her presses and decision-making, not giving defenders time to think.

Since recovering from her ACL injury, Ava Uribe has led a revamped Syracuse attack in 2024 with six goal contributions. Arnav Pokhrel | Staff Photographer

“Each day that went by, you could tell she got more and more comfortable with her knee and being able to play again,” Willis said. “From the first day that I was able to work with her until when she left, it was pretty much night and day with what her comfortability was.”

This confidence smoothly transitioned to SU, with Uribe quickly scoring her first goal against UMass. Seven minutes later, she assisted the game’s second score.

“Knowing how hard it is to come back from (a torn ACL), it makes me even more proud of where she is now,” Odden said. “Her not only being in the starting lineup, but also contributing to us having such a good record is so awesome to see.”

This season, Uribe has extra work to do to keep her knee in shape. She makes sure to come prepared to every game and practice to avoid another serious injury. Uribe also checks in with SU’s trainers daily, following their suggestions about necessary recovery time after workouts.

Now, Uribe’s focus is to bring the Orange back to the postseason, which they haven’t done since leaving the Big East in 2012. She is willing to play any role, even if her minutes or position varies.

“​​Whatever (Adams) tells me she wants from me that day, I’m giving 100% on that, whether that’s scoring goals, making big tackles or making assists,” Uribe said.

Published on September 12, 2024 at 12:35 am
Contact Noah: njnussba@syr.edu | @Noahnuss99