Tani Costa has spent a few too many days in the doctor’s office for her liking.

One of the few, maybe only, good things to come from her injury woes at Penn State is playing a fifth year for the Nittany Lions.

Now healthy, happy and extremely motivated, the 2009 Kalani graduate is poised to play a major role in Penn State’s hopes at a return trip to the national championship game in December.

"When I’m healthy and can contribute to the team, I’ve always been a difference-maker," said Costa, who was a second-team All-Big Ten selection and the Philly Soccer News player of the year as a freshman. "It’s a different dynamic when I’m on the field, and I’m trying to stay healthy so I can do that."

Costa was a Parade All-American and Gatorade Hawaii player of the year at Kalani before taking her talents to Penn State after a recruiting battle with rival Ohio State.

Costa visited both schools on the same trip and got to witness a game between the two in Columbus, Ohio, on the second leg of her journey.

She wore Ohio State gear to the game, but admitted there was more to her wardrobe than what was visible to the eye.

"I had my Penn State clothes on under my Ohio State jacket," she said. "I had already made up my mind."

Costa was a big get for the Nittany Lions, but injuries have plagued her for much of her career.

It started before she ever stepped on the field in a Penn State jersey.

She badly sprained her ankle her freshman season and was so far behind in training that when she was finally cleared to play, she couldn’t catch up.

She redshirted and came back with a strong 2010 campaign, earning all-freshman conference honors after leading the team with nine goals and 23 points.

The big blow came less than a year later when six minutes into PSU’s annual blue-white intrasquad scrimmage, she blew out her knee.

"I went to block a ball, planted my knee and it gave out," Costa said. "It was one of the toughest years of my life. All I wanted to do was contribute to the team after what already was a roller-coaster ride from the two previous years.

"It was heartbreaking and I wouldn’t have been able to come back without the help of my family and my teammates, who are also my family."

Costa had the help of older sister Erin, who came to visit two days before Tani blew out her knee, tearing both her ACL and her meniscus.

Erin Costa gave up her job in Hawaii for a year to stay with Tani and help 

her rehab the injury.

Tani Costa returned to play a full season last year, finishing fourth on the tea

m with six goals.

Penn State advanced to its first College Cup title game before losing 4-1 to North Carolina.

Costa still has trouble putting into words the emotions of losing that title game.

But unlike some of her teammates from that team, Costa has a chance to get back to that game and finally give Penn State the national title that it’s never won.

"We did lose valuable players from last year, but we definitely have all of the necessary pieces to actually win it this year," she said. "We’re very versatile with the way we put our players in different positions now. It’s just a matter of working on the flow of our game and I think we’re getting it."

Costa has scored two goals and handed out three assists so far for the 13th-ranked Nittany Lions, who finished their preseason schedule 7-1-1.

Penn State opens Big Ten play Friday against Northwestern in the first game of a three-game homestand.