Rosa had been the starting goalkeeper for three seasons, and the district final was supposed to be her last high school game. Then, two days before it, she twisted her ankle at practice. The trainer wrapped it and shook his head. She would not play.

The coach chose Molly, a freshman who had never played a full varsity game, to start in goal. In the locker room, Molly's hands were shaking so badly she could barely tie her cleats.

Rosa limped to the end of the bench closest to the goal. All game, she called out to Molly: where to stand on corner kicks, when to come out, when to stay back. When Molly let in an early goal, Rosa told her to forget it and watch the next ball.

Molly did not let in another. The team won two to one.

Afterward, while the players celebrated, the coach sat down next to Rosa on the bench. "You know," she said, "you played the whole game."