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By MARK FITZHENRY; Times Leader Sports Writer
Tuesday, September 07, 1999 Page: 1B
his was the deal:
Janelle Perlis, fresh off a torn ligament in her knee, could play field
hockey for Lake-Lehman. But she couldn’t play all the time. And under no
circumstances could she go one-on-one, full tilt with the goalie for fear that
a collision would re-injure the knee.
So naturally, 12 minutes into Saturday’s season opener against GAR, Perlis
tore in on goal. She challenged the goalie one-on-one, and scored.
Oh well.
Fewer than six months after tearing the ACL at an indoor tournament in late
March, Perlis finished Saturday’s 8-1 victory over GAR with four goals and one
assist in 21 minutes. Her performance coming off the injury has earned her the
distinction of The Times Leader female athlete of the week as selected by the
sports staff.
Perlis’ coach, Jean Lipski, calls the comeback “nothing short of amazing.”
Perlis was expected to miss all of this season, because it generally takes
at least eight months for an ACL tear to recover. About four months into
rehab, Perlis was able to run. Shortly thereafter she passed a strength test.
She got clearance to play on Aug. 23- less than 21 weeks after her March 31
surgery. There was a slight problem upon her return.
“She wanted to go full tilt the minute the doctor gave her release,” Lipski
said.
Despite her coaches’ warnings, Perlis said she has no intention of playing
anything less than full speed. And Lipski has reluctantly accepted that.
“You can’t ask her to reduce that because that’s not her style,” Lipski
said. “I know I’m not going to be able to hold her back because she can’t play
like that.”
Perlis, a senior, was a second-team high school all-American last season.
She visited Wake Forest University last weekend and will visit James Madison
University in the near future.
At Wake Forest, Perlis met with three players who had knee injuries. All of
them took at least eight months to recover.
So even with her coaches telling her to back off, Perlis said: “I’m very
happy.”
At a glance
THE PERFORMANCE: Just 22 weeks after undergoing reconstructive knee
surgery, Perlis had four goals and one assist in 21 minutes as Lake-Lehman
routed GAR in its field hockey opener.
AGE: 17.
HOMETOWN: Lake Silkworth.
FAMILY: Parents Marie and Ron Perlis; brother Jarrett, 20.
ROLE MODEL: Her mother. “She’s always there for me and I want to be like
her.”
HOBBY: Soccer.
The Times Leader/FRED ADAMS