Jasmine Cannady, junior guard for Sacramento State’s women’s basketball team, ruptured her Achilles tendon Jan. 27 during practice. Cannady had her surgery the next day, which was the same day the Hornets defeated Weber State University 90-75.It was the team’s third victory in a row.

Cannady was not the only player who ended her season early. Junior guard Sami Field-Polisso and sophomore guard Alex White also went down with season-ending injuries.The injuries have had a negative impact on the Hornets’ depth, but not their record. The team has won seven games in a row, five of which came since Cannady’s injury.

She will miss the rest of this season as the Hornets attempt to finish strong and reach the Big Sky Tournament in March.

Even though it pains her to be away from the team, Cannady said seeing its success makes up for it.

“It is very hard for me to be away from the girls,” Cannady said. “This is the same group of girls that I have been with for three years. It breaks my heart knowing that I will not be out there with them. On the other hand it is hard for me to be upset because we have been through a lot this year. They are playing as hard as they can and are succeeding because of it.”

“I think that they are awesome. I think that we finally get it. The program has changed so much since last year. We finally understand what it takes to win. I think that this year will be the year we go all the way,” she said.

White, sophomore guard, said the team had to adjust to injuries and has done it well.”I don’t think that any one person has stepped up,” White said. “The whole team has stepped up a lot to make up for us injured players.”

Jamie Craighead, women’s basketball head coach, said the team has come together to make up for the injuries.

“Everyone has stepped up their game. We lost Sami Field-Polisso to injury in the preseason, so we have dealt with losing a player to injury this season as well as in the past,” Craighead said. “Any given game someone steps up and gives us something extra. I could go down our entire roster and tell you that each one of our players has stepped up at different points in the season when we needed them to. And that will have to continue in order for us to be successful.”

The Hornets have progressed since the start of the season.

“They are rebounding a lot better and it has allowed them to fast break more and they are knocking down key shots,” Cannady said. “In the past, we used to fall apart but now we grab a hold of each other in order to continue.”

White said the team has not changed the way it gets ready for games.

“We prepare a lot more though practice and film. We also compete a lot more in the weight room and in practice in order to simulate a game-type situation,” White said.The Hornets have been focusing on fast breaks and rebounding on both sides of the court.

Craighead said the team is starting to understand what it takes to win.

“From an X-and-O standpoint, we are really starting to come into our own. The season is a journey and with a new style of play to learn this year,” Craighead said. “They needed time and now it seems they are really starting to believe in the system, how it works, and that we can win games doing what we do. You have to believe you can win, before you can win.”

As for Cannady, she is expected to return next season.

“By September, I should be good and ready to go conditioning-wise,” Cannady said. “As of now, I am playing it by ear.”

Jules Ramzy can be reached at [email protected]