Always at full speed, Albini finally catches up to herself

By: JOHN MAFFEI - Staff Writer | Tuesday, October 2, 2007 12:54 AM PDT ∞

Torrie Albini has only one gear -- full speed ahead.

No matter if she was playing field hockey or basketball or running track, the former San Pasqual High standout would go over, under, around -- and many times -- through opponents.

And while that served her well at times, it has taken until her senior year in college to fully harness that energy and turn it into a positive.

"I played at 100 miles an hour in high school, and I'm still that way," said Albini, who is in her senior field hockey season at Ohio University. "But I'm a better player now because I've been able to give my undivided attention to one sport."

And she's healthy.

As a freshman in 2004, she struggled through the season with compartment syndrome, a malady in the muscles in her legs were too large for the compartment that contained them.

The result was numbness. The remedy was surgery that left two 3-inch scars on both legs.

The surgery and a change of coaches helped turn a one-goal freshman season into a 14-goal sophomore campaign.

She added 14 goals last season and has nine through 12 games this season.

With seven games to play, she has a chance to finish second in season and career goals at Ohio.

"We got a new coach (Neil Macmillan) before my sophomore year, and I credit him with taking my natural ability and aggressive nature and turning them into positives," Albini said. "I always knew I was capable of having some success, and he took my natural vision and taught me the techniques to make and receive passes.

"He taught me a variety of different hits.

"I built on that my sophomore and junior seasons. And this is my best season yet."

Albini had plenty of success in high school, leading San Pasqual to league titles in 2000, 2002 and 2003 while finishing with 81 career goals.

But she played for three coaches in four years in high school and didn't decide to make field hockey her sport in college until Thanksgiving weekend of her senior year.

"I really had high expectations coming in here as a freshman," Albini said.

"But I battled injuries that freshman year.

"I was hurting that season, but it helped me learn the flow and speed of the college game.

"It helped me establish the level of the competition."

And now, with only a handful of games remaining in her college career, Albini is turning her attention to post-college days.

"When this season is over, I'm hanging up my cleats and stick," Albini said.

"And I'm done with sports.

"I've lived in the Midwest for four years, and I want to go home.

"My parents (Vincent and Deanna) are in law enforcement, and I think I'd like to pursue that as a career, too."

Field hockey

Cross country runner Jake LeVieux (La Costa Canyon) was named UC San Diego's male athlete of the week after finishing first on the team at the UC Irvine Invitational.

-- John Maffei's Alumni Report appears every other Monday through the college season. He can be reached at (760) 740-3547, by fax at (760) 740-5045 or at jmaffei@nctimes.com. Readers are urged to submit information on former North County prep athletes. Comment at sports.nctimes.com.