WINCHESTER, Mass. – Simmons College field hockey player Brianna Rastello (Salem, N.H.) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Field Hockey Goalkeeper of the Week, it was announced today by the league. The award marks the sixth time this season that she has won the accolade to top the league. She was also honored for the weeks of August 25-31, September 8-14, September 15-21, September 22-28 and October 20-26.
The sophomore posted a .750 save percentage and a 1.50 goals against average in a pair of matches. The keeper stopped four of six shots in a 5-2 Sharks' victory over Johnson & Wales University in the GNAC Tournament Quarterfinals on November 5 and came back three days later to turn away five of six shots on target to preserve a 3-1 win over Anna Maria College to give Simmons its first-ever conference championship. The Salem High School graduate was named to the GNAC All-Tournament Team for her efforts.
Rastello has been one of the league's top goalies all season for the Sharks. She's made 64 saves to record a .777 save percentage to rank second in the conference, while posting a 1.25 GAA to place second among GNAC leaders and 24th in the nation. The second-year goalie has posted a 12-5 mark on the year, including a league-best five shutouts, while starting all 17 matches she's appeared in and has played a total of 1178:25 minutes on the year. Rastello has allowed two or fewer goals in all but three matches this season, while making seven or more saves on five occasions. She stopped a season-high 11 shots vs. Massachusetts Institute of Technology on September 4.
For her career, the New Hampshire native has gotten the starting nod in all 25 matches she's played and owns a career .788 save percentage to go with a lifetime 1.64 goals against mark in 1750:35 minutes. She's posted a 16-9 record, including six shutouts.
The Sharks are currently 13-5 on the season and won the GNAC Tournament Championship to earn its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. Simmons will take on University of New England on Wednesday, November 12 at 6:00 p.m. in Biddeford, Maine.