WINTHROP, Mass. – Simmons University field hockey player Lucy McNamara (Brewster, Mass.) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Week for the week of September 23-29, it was announced today by the league.
The junior earns the award for a league-high third time and becomes the first goalie in the conference to be tabbed three times since Maresa Malcolm from Regis College (Mass.) was tabbed four times in 2017. McNamara becomes the first Shark to get the nod three or more times since Brianna Rastello (2013-16) snagged the honor a conference-record five times in 2014. A graduate of Nauset Regional High School, McNamara received the weekly accolade for the weeks of September 2-8 and September 9-15.
The Public Relations and Marketing Communications major posted a 2-0 mark for Simmons in two games, while owning a 0.86 goals against average in 140 minutes of action to go with 19 saves as part of a .905 save percentage. McNamara posted her eighth career shutout with eight stops in a 3-0 victory at Becker College on September 24. She capped the week by turning away 11 of 13 shots and denied all four shootout attempts in a 3-2 double-overtime win at Regis College (Mass.) on September 28.
The third-year backstop leads the GNAC with 623:40 minutes played in 10 matches, while ranking second with 71 saves and three shutouts. Her 1.54 goals against mark is the fourth-lowest average among league goalies, while her .816 save percentage puts her third among league leaders. She has registered double-digit saves on three occasions, including a season-high of 14 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute on September 10. McNamara has made eight saves in two of her three shutouts for the season.
For her career, McNamara has started all 47 games she's appeared in, while logging 3132:41 minutes and recording 24 victories. She has made 284 saves to compile a .768 save percentage to go with a 1.87 career goals against average that spans two seasons under the 70-minute regulation contest and this season's 60-minute regulation matches. The Cape Cod native was named the GNAC Rookie of the Year in 2017 in addition to being selected a Second Team All-Conference honoree the same year.
The Sharks are currently 5-5 on the season, including 2-1 in conference play and return to action on Tuesday, October 1 when they head to Northampton, Mass. to take on Smith College at 6:00 p.m.