As Laura Martel was told about her likely diminished role for this season, the former Lewiston High School All-American could only agree with her coach.

With a history of injury problems and missing significant time, Scott Atherley told Martel she could no longer be counted on full-time for the University of Maine soccer team at last fall’s year-end review.

“Coach was like ‘if we get a half year out of you I’d be impressed,'” said Martel. “I was like, ‘Yeah, me too. I’d be pumped. I’d be pretty excited if I could get half the season.’ I agreed with him 100 percent. If I was the coach, and I had a player with my kind of pattern, I wouldn’t be expecting much from them, either.”

Martel had battled injuries for much of her career at Maine. She’d had nagging back problems, a micro-fracture in her right leg and had a serious knee injury last year to her left leg. She had shown glimpses of great promise her first two years but her pattern of injuries had consumed much of her potential.

This year, however, was different. The athlete that could no longer be a go-to player for the Black Bears became one of the players Maine counted on the most. Martel not only remained relatively healthy but earned America East Striker of the Year honors. She led Maine (9-5-3) with 13 goals and had five game-winning goals.

“I didn’t really expect this to happen,” said Martel, who had three goals as a freshman and was on the America East All-Rookie Team and led the team in scoring as a sophomore with six goals. “I’ve had a strain in my quad, but that’s nothing compared to what I’ve had.”

Martel entered the year hoping to finish strong but knowing her history, she knew she had to be prepared for the unexpected.

“You obviously think ‘stay healthy, stay healthy,'” she said. “After being hurt every year and every offseason, you kind of have to expect to be hurt.”

Martel had just come off her micro-fracture injury last year when she got hurt again. She missed all but 12 games, playing at a limited capacity in only the conference matchups.

“I got cleared the day before preseason,” said Martel. “Then the third game of the season against URI, I went in to try to get a breakaway. Their goalie came out and clipped my knee.”

Most of her ligaments were okay, but she had tears in the meniscus, a chipped bone and it was hyper-extended. It was still function-able, but she was limited in what she could do. She sat out all non-conference games and practices, started just five games and finished the year with three goals — all from a hat trick early in the year.

“It was really frustrating,” said Martel. “I was coming back and probably in the best shape I’ve been in. To come in and feel that great, I had a hat trick in my first game back. I was starting the year off strong and all of a sudden, I got side swiped with another injury. It was really frustrating to be on the sidelines again.”

She had surgery last November. Having already been through a grueling rehabilitation process after the micro-fracture injury, her road back was a little smoother the second time around. She worked diligently during the offseason and was feeling 100 percent by summer. She was also feeling determined to make her final year at Maine her best.

“To come in and have those kind of standards, I came in to prove everybody wrong and hopefully pull it off,” said Martel. “I think I proved myself this year.”

Martel says that even during her injury woes, she was learning and becoming a better player. To have that knowledge and an injury-free campaign, made a significant difference.

“My knowledge of soccer has grown significantly,” she said. “I didn’t even know soccer before I came here. That’s how I feel today. My knowledge of soccer was minimal compared to the knowledge I have now.”

After Maine lost in the America East tournament last weekend, the Black Bears’ season ended, and so did Martel’s career. The reality of that hasn’t quite set in.

“It doesn’t seem real right now,” she said. “We’ve had a couple days since the season ended. We got the summer schedule from the coach today, and it was like ‘Wow, this is the first season that we’re not going to do.’ It kind of hit home (Wednesday) a little more.”

Martel will graduate this spring with a teaching degree. She’d love to continue with the game of soccer by coaching, but she’s hasn’t quite ruled out playing still. She said she might play for some provisional teams in Canada.

“So I don’t know if I’m done yet,” she said. “I don’t want to be done.”