WALTHAM, Mass. – On October 1, 2022 Bentley's Christian Zarka suffered a serious knee injury against Saint Anselm that would threaten his playing career. But just over a year to the day later, Zarka overcame the odds to return to the field on Saturday at Saint Anselm.

Not only did he return to the field, but he scored in Bentley's 4-0 win against that same Hawks team.

In the game last season played in Waltham, Zarka, a defender, tore the patella tendon in his knee. That resulted in his kneecap splitting off and tearing several additional muscles. The initial surgery attempted to fuse the patella back together and reattach his quad muscle, but after four months it became clear the muscles were not healing.

In February, Zarka had another surgery to remove the screw and take out a broken piece of the patella. After this surgery, it became apparent that he may never return to the field again.

But after months of arduous rehab and difficult moments, Christian defied the odds and stepped back on to the pitch for the first time on Saturday.

He entered the game in the 36^th minute with the Falcons leading 1-0. And just over five minutes later, he scored a goal to double the lead in a game they went on to win 4-0.

"After his injury he worked tirelessly to attempt a comeback," head coach Gary Crompton said. "When I saw him limping during preseason and the atrophy in his leg, I didn't think he would make it back this year. His grit and determination to make it back is truly inspiring!

"At training the other day he said that he didn't feel comfortable in defense because his lateral movement is not quite there yet," Crompton continued. "I suggested playing forward would get him on the field and he could provide a spark. The rest is history!"

Saint Anselm wasn't just the same team that Zarka was injured against last season. The Manchester campus is just 13 miles away from his hometown of Derry, New Hampshire.

"The goal meant everything to me," Zarka said postgame. "After a year in wheelchairs, casts, braces and crutches, I knelt down in the corner and soaked it all in. I'll never forget that feeling."

Christian and the Falcons are next in action on Saturday at home against Southern New Hampshire.