Back-to-Back Shutouts Earn Stanislaus State’s Angel Ruiz-Hernandez FloCollege/CCAA Defensive Player of the Week Honors
TURLOCK, Calif. — Senior goalkeeper Angel Ruiz-Hernandez has been named the FloCollege/California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for September 15–21 after recording back-to-back shutouts. The honor marks the second consecutive week a Stanislaus State Warrior has received the conference's defensive award, as the No. 2-ranked Warriors remain undefeated at 6-0 and stand among just six unbeaten teams in NCAA Division II.
Ruiz-Hernandez is the third Warrior this season to be recognized by the CCAA with either the Offensive or Defensive Player of the Week award. Emmanuel Duran earned Offensive Player of the Week for September 1–7, while Christian Brenes claimed Defensive Player of the Week honors for September 8–14.
The Keyes, Calif., native opened the week with two saves in Stan State's 1-0 victory over No. 19 Menlo College last Thursday. He followed up on Saturday with four saves in the Warriors' 1-0 road shutout of Dominican (Calif.).
The Warriors' defensive unit — Samuel Villanueva, Ian Reis, Christian Brenes, Federico Barbieri, and Ruiz-Hernandez — has compiled four consecutive shutouts and limited opponents to just two goals across six matches. The group owns a goals-against average of 0.33, ranking among the best in NCAA Division II.
Through the first six matches of the season, Ruiz-Hernandez holds a 0.34 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage with 17 total saves. Nationally, he ranks sixth in NCAA Division II in save percentage (.895) and shutouts (3). Within the CCAA, he leads the conference in goals-against average and save percentage, while ranking second in shutouts and sixth in saves per game.
The Warriors will return to action the weekend of October 3–5 to open CCAA play. Stan State kicks things off at home on Friday, October 3, against Cal State East Bay at 4:30 p.m., before hosting No. 12 Cal State Los Angeles on Sunday, October 5, at 11:30 a.m. T
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