'01 NB 4-speed issues

[pirate golf]

A few days ago, my girlfriend's 2.0 liter 4-speed NB started making a high-pitched almost whining (more like a ssssss... if that makes any sense) sound while driving down the road. The noise stopped when the car stopped, and I really only noticed it when I was giving it gas. On decel, I didn't notice the sound. It might have still been there, but it was not loud enough to be heard over general road noise.

Anyway, over the past few days the car has been in the garage getting a new timing belt and water pump. I wrapped all of that up this morning and went to take it for a spin. It still makes the same noise, and when I stepped hard on the gas, the tranny would drop down a gear or two, the engine revs would climb, but the car really wouldn't go any faster (maybe it did, but it was very light acceleration).

I can't recall if it was acting the same the other day when the noise originally started. I dropped the gear selector to 2 from a dead stop to see what would happen. The car accelerated up to about 4-4,500 rpm and then it stopped accelerating while the rpms climbed a bit.

Any help would be appreciated.

2001 2.0
4-speed auto
115,000 mi
No previous service as far as she knows

[Variety=Spice]

Power steering pump? What did the shop think it was?