PITTSBURGH — Breann Wood knew the pain in her right hip was telling her something.

Something familiar.

Something she didn't want to hear.

What it said was her hip labrum was torn — her left hip barked the same way when she was in the eighth grade.

What it said was her freshman season on the soccer pitch at Carlow University was in jeopardy.

What it said was surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation was in her future.

While her hip was speaking loudly, Wood, a Karns City graduate who scored more than 100 goals in her career with the Gremlins, was silent.

“What freshman wants to say, 'Hey, coach, I'm injured?'” Wood said.

So, she quietly endured the pain and tried to power through it, with mixed results.

Finally, she received a cortisone injection into the hip that has quieted it down.

Now it is Wood who is making noise.

Still not 100 percent, but healthy enough to play a full game, Wood scored three goals in a win against Penn State Beaver Thursday and two more against Washington Adventist in Washington D.C. over the weekend.

She now has six goals in her last three matches.

“I just feel a lot more confident,” Wood said. “When my hip was hurting, I was just wondering and worried about when it was just going to give out. Now that the hip is stronger, I feel a lot better.”

Wood is looking forward to the day when she is back to 100 percent.

So is her coach at Carlow, Marcus Pollidore.

“Although Breann is not yet at 100 percent, she has responded well on her comeback,” Pollidore said. “So far I know I've only seen part of what she is capable of doing, and I expect her to grow by leaps and bounds.”

There was a time when Wood thought she wouldn't play soccer in college.

A nursing major, Wood was concerned about squeezing soccer into a schedule that was already packed.

But Pollidore showed great interest in bringing her aboard and Wood was intrigued.

“I wasn't ready to quit,” Wood said. “I had to give it a try. I definitely made the right choice.”

Wood said she believes she can get a lot better.

Getting healthy would be a good start.

So does Pollidore, who said he was excited to see how Wood's game will evolve at Carlow.

“Tactically, as a striker, she is learning how to read defenses so that she can be more creative when attacking, but this mostly comes from game experience,” Pollidore said. “She is also learning how to play better with her back to the goal to link play, making herself available to receive and turn or lay off under pressure.

“(I expect) Breann ... will continue to excel and keep challenging herself to be the best,” Pollidore added.

Wood, though, understands she will need surgery to repair the labrum after the season before any of that happens.

There is no other way around it.

Her hip has spoken.

“It's really irritating that I have to go through this again, but the cortisone shot will get me through the season,” Wood said. “I wouldn't wish the surgery and the rehab on my worst enemy. But I want to play and that is what I'll have to do.”