STANDISH, Maine - The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) weekly honors have been released and three Saint Joseph's College field hockey players have earned awards
Senior Megan Baker (Gorham, Maine) is the GNAC Field Hockey Goalkeeper of the Week, sophomore Alexandra Belaire (Greene, Maine) has claimed GNAC Field Hockey Player of the Week honors, and freshman Emma Rutledge (Alfred, Maine) is the GNAC Field Hockey Rookie of the Week.
Baker earns her second GNAC weekly honor of the season after posting a 0.28 GAA with a .909 save percentage while turning away 10 of the 11 shots she faced in four victories last week. She was particularly impressive in a 2-1 2OT victory over Kean University on Sunday, when she made seven saves - including several acrobatic stops - in the thrilling win.
Through seven games for the undefeated Monks, Baker leads the GNAC in fewest goals allowed (3), save percentage (.885), goals-against average (0.46), wins (7), shutouts (3), and minutes (459:52). She also ranks second among all active NCAA DIII goalkeepers in career shutouts (24), fourth in victories (44), and sixth in goals-against average (0.92).
Belaire claims GNAC Player of the Week honors for the second-consecutive reporting period after scoring both of the Monks' goals in a 2-1 double-overtime victory over Kean University, which advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament last year, on Sunday and tallied three goals and an assist overall in a 4-0 week for the Monks.
In seven games this fall Belaire has tallied five goals and six assists for 11 total points. She currently ranks second in the conference in assists and points and fourth in goals.
Rutledge collects the first GNAC weekly honor of her career after scoring four goals with five assists for 13 total points in a 4-0 week for the Monks, an impressive stretch that launched Rutledge atop the GNAC leaderboard for points and assists. On Monday the freshman forward totaled five points with two goals and an assist in a 7-0 win over Gordon College. She scored a goal and added an assist in a 7-0 victory over Husson University on Wednesday, and produced her second five-point performance of the week with a goal and three helpers in a 9-0 triumph at Regis College on Saturday.
The freshman phenom currently leads the conference in assists (7) and points (17) and ranks fourth in the GNAC in goals (5).
Saint Joseph's returns to play on Tuesday with a non-conference game at Springfield College (8:00 PM).
