Northland Sports Online

UMD’s Kayla Black Named Defensive Player of the Week

Oct 17 2012

Northland Sports Online


Kayla Black’s performance last weekend against the University of Wisconsin all but secured Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s Defensive Player of the Week honors. The league simply cemented what every Bulldog fan already knew today.


Black was named the WCHA’s Defensive Player of the Week Tuesday, two days removed from recording 56 saves in the University of Minnesota Duluth’s series against the Badgers. The freshman from Blyth, Ontario earned two shutouts en route to leading UMD to a series sweep over Wisconsin at AMSOIL Arena by scores of 2-0 and 1-0.


The rookie goaltender kept the Badgers off the board in Saturday afternoon’s contest, despite faced with 23 minutes worth of penalties resulting in five Wisconsin power plays and 11 shots on goal down a skater. UMD was outshot 31-17 in the contest, but Black was stoic in earning her first collegiate shutout.
It was more of the same for Black Sunday, turning away all 25 shots she faced and again stifled the Badgers power play on three attempts.


While Kim Martin had back-to-back shutouts as a rookie back on Oct. 15 and 21, 2006, Black becomes the first UMD freshman goaltender to post back-to-back shutouts in a series. Black now ranks fifth in the nation with a saves percentage of .941, second with two shutouts and sixth with a goals against average of 1.52.


Black and the Bulldogs will head to Mankato, Minn. this weekend to face Minnesota State University in their first road series of the year. Game time Friday is set for 7:00 pm, while Saturday’s contest will start at 3:00 pm.


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