Oct. 27, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Sophomore goalkeeper Ayla Halus was named to the WomensFieldHockey.com National Honor Roll after an exceptional week during which she led the Penn State field hockey team to a perfect 3-0 record, including a pair of victories over top-20 opponents.
The award is the second of the week for Halus after she was also named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts. She is the second Nittany Lion to earn the accolade this year after Kelsey Amy was honored on September 20.
Last week, Halus played 198 minutes in the cage and allowed just one goal during the team's three contests. She held Bucknell scoreless on Tuesday before exiting with the game in-hand in the second half. Then, she returned to the field for a pair of top-20 battles over the weekend and surrendered one goal to No. 17 Duke before blanking No. 5 Princeton.
Overall, Halus stopped nine shots and posted an exceptional .900 save percentage during the three-game stretch. For the season, she has now allowed one goal or less in 10 games, including five shutouts.
Against the Bison, Halus set aside two shots in just over 58 minutes of action while keeping the Bucknell attack in-check. When she returned to the field for the weekend match-ups, she was just as stingy.
In the team's 2-1 victory over No. 17 Duke, Halus faced an unrelenting attack that increased its intensity after Penn State played shorthanded for much of the second half. Despite the tense situation, Halus remained unfazed and eventually allowed only one goal while brushing aside three shots.
The very next day, she was even better in the cage. Against No. 5 Princeton, which entered the contest boasting the second-ranked scoring offense in the nation, she was simply flawless. Assisted by an airtight defensive unit, Halus posted four saves and recorded the first shutout by an opponent against the Tigers since 2008.
Aided by her performances last week, Halus now ranks second in the nation with an .835 save percentage. Her 1.15 goals-against-average is also the ninth-best rate in the country, while her 86 saves lead the Big Ten.