After three consecutive first-round eliminations by a combined 10 points Norwin finally advanced beyond the first round of the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs last season.

Unfortunately for Lindsay Loutsenhizer, she had to watch from the bench with a torn meniscus in her left knee. The injury happened before the season started.

"It was hard but sitting out actually taught me a lot, too," Loutsenhizer said now fully recovered from surgery. "I got to see how the team plays and in certain situations I would ask myself what I would do."

Last season the Knights advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals and won a game in the PIAA playoffs, but there was no telling how far they could have advanced if Loutsenhizer, a standout forward, was on the court.

"We had a good year anyhow but we would have been a whole different team with Lindsey in there," coach Bob Shrader said. "It was a very rewarding season for us and we probably reached our potential with the players we had."

Loutsenhizer endured a tough offseason of rehabilitation to get back in time for the season and she has made it pay off. A senior, she has averaged better than 20 points a game as Norwin started the season 9-0. The Knights opened by winning the Serra tournament with wins against Vincentian Academy and the host Eagles.

"Her father and her did everything you could possibly do by the book, plus anything extra to have her in condition to play," Shrader said. "She could only do drills at first. She was chomping at the bit to do more, but she bit her lip and waited and had a great summer."

Division 1 Manhattan College offered Loutsenhizer a basketball scholarship after she recovered from the surgery and she accepted. Her other offer came from Sacred Heart. Loutsenhizer got back on the court in an offseason shootout at Washington & Jefferson College and she and her coach were nervous at first when she took the floor.

"You hold your breath, especially in the summer time," Shrader said of the shootout where his team played four games in one day. "I said to her, 'Are you going to go the whole time or half the games?' I looked at her and I know she wanted to play the whole time. She waited a long time to get back in action."

In a season opening 76-47 win against Vincentian, Loutsenhizer said she was nervous taking the court for her first regular season game since the injury.

"It's always in the back of your mind," she admitted. "You have to overcome it and play your game. The first game was nerve wracking, I was a little hesitant rebounding and getting contact but after those first four or five possessions I was fine."

With Loutsenhizer's and other player's injuries guard Nicki Costabile stepped up and started every game as a freshman. That experience is paying off this year as Costabile is averaging close to 18 points a game. Without the injuries she would have been a substitute last season.

"Nicki has been tremendous, we are getting a reward now for her playing time last year," Shrader said. "She is ready to go. Not many freshmen get to start 28 games in Quad-A basketball and help lead their team to a successful season."

Costabile will play alongside another sophomore in the backcourt, Nicki Brenner. Returning starters Casey Beatty, a senior forward, and Emily Duncan, a junior guard, round out the starting five for the Knights.

Coming off the bench for Norwin are junior guards Shelly Springer and Andie Kyros. Sophomore Maura Znavor comes off the bench to spell one of the forwards. Spring started 10 games last year and is one of the better outside shooters on the team.

"The thing about Shelly's game is she has become more than just a shooter. She could wind up starting as the season goes on," Shrader said. "Andie is all over the place. If there is a loose ball she is on it and it's hers. Maura is real rugged and has played good JV ball. She is kind of undersized for an inside player but she is not going to give any ground. She will see some key action this year."

Shrader is in his fourth year of his second stint at Norwin. In the 1970s he coached at the Knights for 10 years before going on to coach at Seton Hill College.

Norwin plays in the Betsy Invitational tomorrow night at Elizabeth Forward. The Knights take on McKeesport at 6:30 with Elizabeth Forward playing laurel Highlands at 8 p.m. The consolation and championship games are 6:30 and 8 Saturday night.Dealing with injuries has improved Knights