WUSA

MacMillan's ACL is repaired by surgery, recovery estimated at six months.

Shannon MacMillan-- Photo by Thom Vollenweider\San Diego Spirit web site --

SAN DIEGO (Tuesday, May 20, 2003) -- United States women's and San Diego Spirit striker Shannon MacMillan had her shattered right knee repaired by surgery today.

Spirit team physician Dr. David Chao performed the procedure that repaired her torn anterior cruciate ligament. Damage to her medial collateral ligament and meniscus is expected to heal on its own.

Chao took a graft from her right patellar tendon to replace the damaged ACL. "The reconstructive surgery went well," Chao said. "She has a nice, tight graft and our treatment goals are going to be for her to maintain full extension and progress her to walking normally."

Rehabilitation is expected to take six months which means MacMillan will miss the Women's World Cup, which starts in mid-September, as well as the remainder of the Women's United Soccer Association season.

"I'm going to work as hard as I can in rehab," MacMillan said. "We'll just have to see how the graft takes and then take it day by day and week by week."

MacMillan, who has 58 career international goals, led the U.S. women with 17 in 2002 and with six thus far this year.

"I can speak for the whole team when I say that we are very disappointed for Shannon that the injury comes at this time in her long and illustrious career," U.S. women's coach April Heinrichs said in a statement. "The most difficult thing to swallow is that she is playing the best soccer of her career. As a coaching staff, we would be hard pressed to find a more committed and focused player right now and the injury couldn't come at worse time for Shannon and our team. She has lived a life full of adversity, but has never used that adversity as crutch or an excuse. She has used it to become a better person and a better player and I know she will use this setback in a positive manner."

MacMillan, who played the first half of the U.S.'s 6-0 victory over England Saturday, injured her knee eight minutes into the Spirit's 1-1 draw Sunday with the visiting Boston Breakers at Torero Stadium. As she prepared to play a ball with her left foot, her right leg and the knee buckled. There was no contact.

"I feel heavy hearted for Mac," Spirit coach Omid Namazi said. "She's been playing some of the best soccer of her career. You can't replace a Shannon MacMillan because of the quality of player she is. . . With the strength of her character, and work ethic, I think she'll have a very speedy recovery."

MacMillan has recorded 18 goals and 17 assists in 43 games -- all starts -- with the Spirit.