Its 15 minutes before game time, and Colleen Smith is at the net, front and center for the DePaul volleyball team. The 24-year-old Illinois natives got gum in her mouth and a smile on her face, and shes helping her hitters get in some warm-up swings. Chew, smile, set, repeat.Five years ago, on a different campus, the former high school All-American setter, a freshman at Indiana, kept a different routine. Cough, ache, puke, rest.Smiths life was in danger, not to mention her volleyball career. Her body was attacking itself. She was vomiting blood. Her red blood cell count was half of what it should be. Her lungs collected fluid.Doctors at IU made a rare diagnosis: granulomatosis with polyangiitis, also known as Wegeners granulomatosis -- a disease that drastically slows the flow of blood through the kidneys, lungs, throat and nose. After that came blood transfusions, chemotherapy and dozens of prescriptions.But even as a freshman lying in a hospital bed, Smith plotted her return to volleyball. She thought about it as a sophomore, too, when the Hoosiers coaching staff told her they no longer had a scholarship spot for her. She thought about it each time she was rejected by a program that wooed her as a transfer because the doctors didnt want to take on the risk of a Wegeners patient.Those five years led to this moment: Senior Day. Nov. 13. Her final home game at DePaul.Now third in program history in assists, Smith is still receiving chemotherapy treatments -- just once every six months now -- and is considering a professional career overseas.I just love that winning feeling, she said. It was important for me to get back to that.On this November day, as she flicks the ball behind her to a streaking hitter, she thinks back on all those battles won. Her eyes are on the next pass, well before the hitters spike smacks the ground.Chew, smile, set, repeat. She savors this moment. It is a gift.***Wegeners is rare. That much we know. A 2009 study in Arthritis & Rheumatology estimates that it occurs in about one in every 125,000 people. Others believe it goes widely underdiagnosed and is far more common. Either way, a statistician would tell you the odds of an elite NCAA athlete having Wegeners are minuscule.I feel like its so easy to give up on your dreams and your goals, Smith said, but I knew that volleyball was such a huge impact on my life, and it has truly shaped me into the person that I am today.There are little reminders of what shes gone through at every DePaul home game. Her parents and sisters, who live in the Chicago suburbs, know just how precious each moment on the court is for Smith and never miss a match. She has a red bow, the color chosen for autoimmune disease and Wegeners awareness, in her hair, and she and her teammates have bows on their shoes, too. As her career nears its end with one last Big East game Sunday against Butler in Indianapolis, theres this, too: a single-season program record for wins in the Big East.Before Smith tallied the first of her 4,185 assists (and counting) as a Blue Demon, coach Nadia Edwards was well equipped to bring Smith in despite her disease. Rush University Medical Center in Chicago provided a primary care location that would suit Smiths needs, and DePaul gave Smith a chance to continue competing in a big conference while staying close to home.We knew the talent that she possessed, but every single day she stepped on the court, she gave us her all, Edwards said. Shes been the anchor of our team for the last four years.Those four years werent without obstacles, either, on and off the court. She endured a 3-27 season her second year with the program. Then, this January, she had a Wegeners flare-up. While at dinner with her family, her mouth filled with blood before spouting from her nose. It took her a few months to get back to playing.I was a little surprised because she was doing very well, and she was on medication, said Dr. Roger Rodby, a nephrology specialist at Rush who has worked with Smith the past four years. Of all the diseases I take care of in the autoimmune spectrum, this ones the toughest. Its the one thats hardest to get to go away, and its the most likely to come back.But she came back, too, and its hard to imagine it going any differently. Smith is eternally positive, and playing volleyball trumps all ailments. Earlier in the season, she took an eight-hour chemo treatment on a Monday so she could recover and play DePauls two weekend road matches. She slipped in and out of sleep with her dad and one of her sisters by her side. The picture she took during the treatment, though, belied the difficulties it presented. She gave a beaming smile with a thumbs-up, the Chicago skyline in the background.Somehow, Smith didnt miss a match this season.Its just crazy to think back when I was at Indiana that, basically, a lot of people thought I was never gonna be able to play again, she said. I really do believe that everything happens for a reason, and I found my home here at DePaul. It definitely worked out.Her next home might be in Europe, where the odds are tougher still. Edwards played professionally and said Smiths talent isnt even a discussion. Shes good enough. Its about finding a team that needs a setter and, again, can accommodate her condition. And, isnt already at the cap for the number of American players allowed on its roster. Her dad, Bubba Smith, wants her to do it, no matter how nervous having his daughter that far away might be.But Europe is, thats her dream, he said. Fulfill it. Because every other dream youve had, youve fulfilled it. That would be something, you know? Jim Valvano, whatd he say that time? Every day, youve got to be able to smile, to cry, and thats a fulfilling day.Laugh, think, cry, repeat. Smiths familiar with that routine, too.***Smith locks arms with her mom and dad and walks toward her teammates and coaches. The gum is gone, but the smiles still there. The tears and memories have crept in, too. One of her outside hitters, Myah Reed, barely holds in her sobs.Smith celebrates with DePauls two other seniors. She hugs about two dozen fans -- friends and family -- in the stands. Then she sits down in the bleachers at McGrath-Phillips Arena, her home for the past four years, with that support system surrounding her. Everyone smiles. Cameras flash. There are two games left, but this has a feeling of permanence to it. Its hard not to think of the end.Smith lets herself do that, briefly. But as usual, her thoughts turn from whats happened to whats next.We still have season left, she said.And whatever else comes after it. 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PHILADELPHIA -- Josh Huff returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, Carson Wentz outplayed Sam Bradford and the Philadelphia Eagles beat Minnesota 21-10 on Sunday, handing the Vikings their first loss of the season.The Eagles (4-2) snapped a two-game losing streak while the rested Vikings (5-1) hardly looked like an unbeaten team after having a bye.I thought we played embarrassing in two phases, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. Im very disappointed in the performance.Bradford returned to Philadelphia for the first time since his trade to Minnesota eight days before the season opener paved the way for Wentz to start. Bradford was 7-7 in his only season with the Eagles and won his first four starts for the Vikings.But the Eagles pressured and harassed their former quarterback all game, sacked him six times, and forced his first three turnovers this season.I thought he missed some throws that he normally makes, but he got hit a lot, Zimmer said. Its probably hard to evaluate his performance when (the line) looks like a sieve.Wentz also struggled early, tossing two interceptions. But he recovered to lead the Eagles on a couple of scoring drives, including a 5-yard TD pass to Dorial Green-Beckham in the third quarter for an 18-3 lead.Thats a great defense we played, Wentz said. I have to be smarter with the football. We found a way to win. Thats huge for us.Both teams had a sloppy start.After combining for only three turnovers in 10 games, the teams traded giveaways on five consecutive series in the first quarter and totaled eight turnovers. The Vikings started two straight drives inside the red zone, but squandered both chances.Blair Walsh hit a 48-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead before Huff broke loose for his second career touchdown return. Huff sprinted up the right side, ran through Walshs attempted arm tackle at the 40, raced untouched to the end zone and capped it with a somersault. Wentz ran in from the 1 for the 2-point conversion to give the Eagles an 8-3 lead.QUOTABLEVikings: T Jeremiah Sirles: If Sam doesnt feel comfortable back there, its our fault. Its not one guys fault. Its five guys fault.Eagles: Huff said: Hes a kicker. I couldnt let a kicker tackle me or Id be mad at myself.FANTASY STATSVikings: Bradford was 24-41, 224 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Matt Asiata had 55 yards rushing. Corrdarrelle Patterson had seven catches for 67 yards and a TD.ddddddddddddEagles: Wentz was 16-28, 138 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs. Ryan Mathews had 56 yards rushing. Huff caught four passes for 39 yards.MISSED OPPORTUNITIESThe Vikings had the ball at the Eagles 2 after Andrew Sendejo intercepted Wentzs pass and returned it 16 yards. But Bradford tossed his first pick when Rodney McLeod caught a lofted pass in the end zone.The Eagles gave it right back when Darren Sproles fumbled Wentzs handoff. But on the first play from the Philadelphia 17, Connor Barwin stripped Bradford and Malcolm Jenkins recovered. Jenkins returned it 76 yards for a score, but he was ruled down by contact after a video review.Wentz threw another interception on the next series, a diving play by Xavier Rhodes. But Minnesotas offense didnt do anything again.Down 18-3, the Vikings couldnt get a yard on third and fourth down from the Eagles 6 early in the fourth quarter.GOING FOR ITDoug Pederson took a point off the board after a roughing penalty on the Vikings against Caleb Sturgis and went for the 2-point conversion. Wentz ran it in up the middle on a draw.Pederson went for fourth-and-2 from the Vikings 44 with 1:21 left in the first half. Wentz gained 6 yards on a keeper and the drive ended with Sturgis making a 35-yard field goal for an 11-3 lead.For me, it was an easy situation and I had trust in our guys, Pederson said about the risky calls.INJURIESEagles: CB Ron Brooks was carted off the field after injuring his right ankle trying to make a tackle in the first quarter. Brooks was immediately ruled out and the injury appeared serious. ... LT Jason Peters didnt finish the game after injuring his biceps. ... LB Kamu Grugier-Hill came out with a hamstring injury.Vikings: Sendejo didnt return after injuring his ankle in the first quarter.FRANCHISE FIRSTThe Eagles have returned kickoffs for touchdowns in consecutive games for the first time in team history. Wendell Smallwood returned one 86 yards for a TD in last weeks 27-20 loss at Washington. Huff had a 107-yard TD return as a rookie in 2014.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP-RobMaaddi ' ' '
