“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” Salmen said. “It definitely took a lot of mental endurance, and I had to work really really hard to come back to get my stamina and my confidence back. After I started playing club and getting back into it, my game started to come back.”

It was difficult for her to sit on the bench, watching her teammates play and knowing she couldn’t be on the court with them.

“I was always just trying to be one of the loudest people on the bench and always be the first one up to give people high fives,” Salmen said. “I tried to never show how sad I was, that I wasn’t playing with my teammates, and just put a smile on my face everytime I sat on that bench.”

The experience working her way back from the injuries influenced her decision to choose Viterbo as her next playing destination after graduation.

“The coach brought me into his office and he asked me 'what motivated you to come back from two ACLs?’ and I actually started crying in his office,” Salmen said.

She talked about how most coaches would be concerned bringing in players with her injury history and that she wouldn’t be seen as someone worth investing in.

“I said that I came back because of God and my strong support system,” Salmen said. “Having a coach that believed in me and was willing to invest in me was a game changer.”

Mahtomedi assistant coach Chris Hergenrader said Salmen’s effort and leadership had a big impact on the Zephyrs late in Friday’s game.

“The girls know what she’s been through, and she’s the one out there fighting for us,” Hergenrader said. “It’s all heart and soul for her.”

Salmen paced the Zephyrs’ offense but she wasn’t alone, as four of her teammates scored nine points or more against Hastings. The boost was essential, as the Raiders packed quite a punch in Brake, who is the state’s No. 3 scorer with 483 points this season, according to stats submitted to the MN Girls’ Basketball Hub.

How the Zephyrs spread the offense was crucial to the team’s success in the second half. Multiple players hit clutch shots late in the game, which made defending difficult for the Raiders since scoring threats were coming from all over the floor.

Mahtomedi’s Ella Hronski scored 13 points, and teammates Zoie Centers, Zoey Washington and Anna Raney added nine points apiece.

“What a team win,” Hergenrader said. “That transition — pressure and running — I think was the spark plug that got us back into it.”