Soccer's Tuumi Named Rookie of the Week

After helping the Hawks earn a 1-1 tie at Boston University on Saturday night (Sept. 29) by registering a career high in saves between the posts, University of Hartford freshman Viltsu Tuumi has been named the America East Rookie of the Week for the first time in his young career.

Coupled with a goal by teammate Anthony Santaga in the 38th minute, Tuumi helped the Hawks open up America East conference play by earning a point at Boston University, which was picked to finish second by the league's coaches in the preseason poll. A freshman goalkeeper, Tuumi made a personal-best nine saves, which ties a season-high for the conference.

A native of Pori, Finland, Tuumi came up big for the Hawks down the stretch of Saturday's match, making six of his stops in the final 65 minutes of action including one in the final overtime period to hold off the Terriers and preserve the 1-1 tie. In addition, his nine saves were the most for a Hartford keeper since the 2009 campaign. That season, Nenad Cudic recorded 10 rejections in a 1-0 loss at Penn State on Sept. 13.

Tuumi, who has played every minute in goal for the Hawks this season, owns a 1.24 goals-against average.