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Leslie Oliver (10) with six other Tiger women's soccer seniors at Edwards-Maurer Field
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That was before the fateful moment on Oct. 2, 2010, when she collided with an Ohio Wesleyan University player during a 1-0 Wittenberg victory at Edwards-Maurer Field. She was diagnosed with a concussion and had a CAT scan as a precautionary measure shortly afterward.
Amazingly – perhaps even fortuitously – it turned out to be more than just a concussion.
"They found something there," Oliver told the Springfield News-Sun recently. "It was just a tiny thing. I had no symptoms whatsoever. The surgeon said, 'Let's see what this looks like in sixth months. If it doesn't move, we're probably fine.' But I went back six months later thinking everything was fine, and they said it's getting bigger."
Oliver had surgery to remove the tumor, and a biopsy confirmed it was cancerous. The concussion had temporarily suspended Oliver's soccer career, but it inadvertently may have saved her life.
"We really honestly believe God's hand has been in this from the beginning because of the way we found it," Leslie's father, Mitch, told the Springfield News-Sun. "We really believe we were meant to find it. It was found not by happenstance, but by divine intervention."
Following surgery to remove the tumor in May 2011, Oliver underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but her spirits never wavered. Her teammates and even her new Wittenberg coach, Kwame Lloyd, wouldn't allow it.
She participated in the team's trip to Europe in August 2011, but she didn't play soccer again until the non-traditional spring season in 2012. It was difficult to watch her team struggle through an 8-9-1 season in 2011, but the Wittenberg community provided plenty of support, along with her boyfriend, Roland Sommer, and her family, many of whom live in nearby Enon.
"My experience with the entire Wittenberg community has been absolutely amazing," Oliver said. "The professors helped me out so much, allowing me to miss class if needed due to chemo I have been taking or simply because I was not able to come to class due to exhaustion.
"I met with (Assistant Provost, Academic Services) Van Rutherford, and she gave me a note for my classes explaining my situation and giving me more time to finish quizzes and tests. (Associate Dean of Students) Casey Stevens has also been a big help for me recently dealing with everything and making sure my academic needs are able to be met, along with (Associate Dean of Students, Residence Life) Mark DeVilbiss."
Oliver now undergoes an MRI every three months, and in May 2012 it showed another spot on her brain, necessitating a second surgery. After no new tumor was found, however, she was able to turn her attention to the 2012 season. She was even voted a captain, but Lloyd said she declined that responsibility to focus on her game.
What a season it has turned out to be. The Tigers got off to a 1-2-2 start, but they have lost just once since Sept. 9. Wittenberg heads into the regular season finale against Kenyon alone atop the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) standings at 6-0-1, and the Tigers can clinch home field advantage in the NCAC Tournament with a win over the Ladies.
Before the game, Oliver will be honored with seven of her teammates. Amidst the surgeries and the treatments, it hardly seemed possible that she would have the opportunity to share in Senior Recognition Day with them – at least not while wearing her full game kit.
"Being an athlete at Wittenberg has been such a blessing," Oliver said. "Being a part of a team is by far the most rewarding thing there is, in my opinion. Having a person who has your back on and off the field is one of the most amazing feelings I have ever had.
"Being at Wittenberg just makes this experience even more fulfilling. Every sport supports every other sport. This is something I know does not happen at other schools."
Oliver is majoring in education, and she plans to teach middle school students in her concentration of language arts and social studies. She is more ready than ever for what lies ahead after graduating in May 2014.
"There is no doubt in my mind that there is nothing else I would rather do than be there in the classroom with students going through a crazy time in their life and doing all I can to influence their lives in a positive way," she said. "This definitely has changed my outlook on life, and even though I have times when I sit and wonder why this happened to me, I always tell myself that this did happen for a reason and God must have a bigger plan for me."
Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photos By: Erin Pence
