Lola Abraham is amped up for the start of the Pitt women’s soccer team’s fall season.

“We’re going to have a newer, younger team,” the Panthers sophomore forward and Riverview graduate said.

“All of the coaches and returning players are super excited. We have a lot of potential with how far we can make it. We come back soon for summer practices, and we can’t wait to all be together again as we prepare to get the season rolling.”

Abraham’s enthusiasm includes her own return to the field after many months of recovery from a devastating right ACL injury last fall that cut short her promising freshman season.

Whenever her return to the field for game action will be, sometime after the first game Aug. 2 at West Virginia, Abraham said she will be ready to give everything she has toward team success.

“We have a tough schedule in and out of conference play, but we wouldn’t want it any other way,” she said.

Abraham was making strides in her first season with the Panthers.

She played in 10 games and made seven starts before the Sept. 19 injury against North Carolina. She recorded assists in wins over Bucknell and Louisville.

“Stepping into ACC play, it is a challenge and a big task, but after the nonconference games, I had a good feel for how the team played, what the coaches wanted from me and things like that,” Abraham said. “I was feeling very confident and was starting to find my rhythm. I was feeling pretty good. It just stings when you get an injury like that, at any time, let alone when it did for me.”

In the game with North Carolina, Abraham was dribbling down the right side of the field before getting tangled up with the Tar Heels defender marking her.

Abraham planted her right (kicking) foot when contact was made, and she went down with the ACL tear.

“I tried to be optimistic that it wasn’t as severe as it turned out to be,” Abraham said. “My teammates were very supportive. They were like, ‘You’ll be good. You’ll be back.’ Before I officially knew what it was, I was trying to stay positive. I also started thinking about what the future held and what I would have to do throughout the (rehab process). It kind of changed my perspective and mentality on things moving forward.”

The injury and rehab were new experiences for Abraham, who set scoring records at Riverview and helped lead the Raiders to the PIAA Class A title game as a senior in 2023.

Obviously, Abraham’s season on the field was over, but as she had surgery and began the recovery process through the remainder of the fall, she was there for her team, which finished 9-6-3 overall and 3-5-2 in conference play.

“I first had that feeling of, ‘Why me?’ and there was frustration,” she said. “But I had amazing people at Pitt supporting me, teammates and coaches, throughout the process. I couldn’t have asked for a better support system. My parents, family and friends also have been right there and have been great. It was special to see everyone rally around me and make sure I stayed positive through it all.”

Abraham said she had first-class care from her doctor, trainers and physical therapist, who made sure she was on track to getting her knee back to 100%.

“There’s no better place if you are going to have an injury like this than Pitt because you know the recovery and treatment is going to be top of the line,” Abraham said. “They know the ins and outs of what will get you strong and back on the field.”

Abraham said with this type of injury, everyone’s recovery timeline is different with goals reached at their own pace.

“I wasn’t on schedule or ahead of schedule. I was just on my schedule,” she said. “They would tell me about milestones at three months, six months and nine months where I am getting close to now. I have received positive motivation with how my knee is looking all along the recovery timeline, and I am happy with where I am at heading into the summer. I continue to go with what they say.

“The knee is feeling really good, but at this point, I don’t want to start rushing anything. But it was a great feeling to get back on the ball and be on the field doing what I love to do.”

Abraham, in her nine- to 12-month recovery, now is able to run, make cuts, dribble, pass and take shots.

“I am not to where I can take contact,” Abraham said. “That is at nine months and beyond. Sometime this summer before the season is when I will get cleared for that.”

She said that when she returns to game action this fall, she will see more of her father, Sean, who stepped down as head coach of the Riverview girls team after eight seasons at the helm.

“He was able to come to games last year for Pitt until I got hurt,” Abraham said. “Looking ahead, if I hadn’t gotten hurt, there were probably going to be some conflicts or where he would have been rushing from one place to another. He has more freedom now to come watch, even at away games. It is nice, and I am super excited for that.”

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