WINONA, Minn. — It's been a perfect start to her senior season for Saint Mary's University's Ary Ziakas (Palatine, Ill.).
 
Literally.
 
Ziakas appeared in both games for the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team last week, and the senior's impersonation of a brick wall was spot-on — a 93-minute performance that earned the Cardinal goalie Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week honors, the league office announced Monday.
 
Ziakas split time with fellow goalie Jordan Keeley (St. Peter, Minn.) in the Cardinals' 3-1, season-opening loss to St. Scholastica last Wednesday — stopping all 17 shots she faced in 30:37 minutes of work — before following that up with a 35-save shutout in Saint Mary's 0-0, conference-opening tie with Concordia three days later.
 
Ziakas' shutout — which included 12 saves in the second period, 10 in the third, and seven more in the five-minute overtime — was the second of her collegiate career.
 
Ziakas and the Cardinals are back in action on Saturday, returning home to the Saint Mary's Ice Arena for a 7 p.m. conference matchup against Hamline.