At the conclusion of Sunday’s NIU women’s soccer game, defenseman Stephanie Burgmeier was escorted off the field by an ambulance.

A junior, Burgmeier played the last seven minutes of the game against Western Michigan University. Less than five minutes after the game, she laid on the ground in tears clutching her side.

Burgmeier was sent to Kishwaukee Community Hospital were she was diagnosed with a ruptured cyst on her ovary. She was released around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday after undergoing over four hours of testing.

“At first I thought it would go away, so I continued to run and stretch with the team,” Burgmeier said. “It felt like my whole stomach was tightening up and it was just constant pain. My eyes were blurry and I closed them, and when I opened them I saw my mom around me and then realized I couldn’t get up.”

Burgmeier continued to lay in a balled up position. Spectators who surrounded her thought that she had ruptured her spleen or appendix.

With pain still present, Burgmeier is listed as day-to-day. Assuming there are no further complications, Burgmeier anticipates joining her team later in the week in light contact drills and light running.

Coach Frank Horvat is more concerned with Burgmeier’s health than her rejoining the team.

“Anytime any of my players have something like that happen, I am extremely concerned for their safety and welfare,” Horvat said. “I look at all my players like they’re a big part of my life and it troubles me to see them in that type of situation.”

Since the injury was not soccer-related, Burgmeier said that she won’t be timid when she returns to the field.

“I’d be more timid if I got hit, but I didn’t. So, knowing nothing I did caused the rupture to happen, it isn’t really a concern,” Burgmeier said. “Hopefully I’ll be 100 percent by this weekend and contribute like I did before.”