Fourth-seeded Niagara Purple Eagles will play second-seeded Loyola Greyhounds in the 2009 MAAC Championship Game televised live on ESPNU on Sunday at noon from Lessing Field in Fairfield, Conn. Niagara, which ousted top-seeded Iona on penalty kicks in the semifinals, is making its first-ever appearance in the title match with the winner heading the NCAA Tournament.

First-Time For Everything

Niagara is making its first-ever trip to the MAAC Championship Game. The Purple Eagles have played in seven MAAC Championships (1999, 2003, 2005-09) since joining the league in 1989.

Fort Fiutowski

Fituowski will go down as one of the most decorated goalkeepers in Niagara history. His legend was magnified after saving all three penalty kicks faced in Niagara’s 3-0 penalty kick shootout win over Iona in the MAAC semifinals. He will end his career as the Purple Eagles all-time leader in career wins, saves, shutouts, goals against average, minutes and starts in goal. In 2008, he led the nation in saves per game on his way to tying a season record in shutouts with five and setting a school record with nine wins. A two-time MAAC All-Academic Team member, he owns a 3.96 grade-point average and will graduate with a degree in marketing.

Wire-to-Wire

Senior goalkeeper John Fiutowski has led the MAAC in saves and saves per game since the first whistle blew to start the season. The 6-4 keeper, who led the nation in saves per game last season, has once again proven to be a very difficult person to beat.  Fiutowski averages 6.39 saves per game and has 115 saves on the season, which are 51 more than the second place keeper.

Tesch, DiBiase, DaCruz Named to All-MAAC Teams

Midfielder Levi Tesch earned All-MAAC First Team honors, senior defender Anthony DiBiase was named to the All-MAAC Second Team and freshman forward Bryan DaCruz was selected to the All-Rookie Team. Tesch, the team’s talisman, has spearheaded the attack all season and was rewarded with his first-ever All-MAAC award. DiBiase earned his second-straight All-MAAC Second Team honors. DaCruz scored his team leading seventh goal to tie the match against Iona in the semifinal.

Five-Star Niagara

This tournament trip marks the fifth-straight MAAC Tournament appearance for the Purple Eagles and the program’s seventh appearance. Head coach Dermot McGrane, who became the all-time winningest coach in program history this season, has taken NU to six of the seven MAAC Tournaments.

Seeing Red

Niagara will miss to key starters in the championship game. Playmaker Levi Tesch and starting midfielder Justin Roundy received red cards in the semifinals, which mean they will miss the final.

In-Form Purple Eagles

Niagara is 3-1-2 in its last six matches, with its only blemish coming in a narrow 1-0 defeat to Iona in the last regular season game. The Purple Eagles have outscored their opponents 8-4 in the stretch, including beating archrival Canisius 2-1 in overtime, dropping Fairfield, 3-0 and knocking out no. 1 seed Iona in penalty kicks. 

McGrane Sits Alone

Head coach Dermot McGrane became Niagara’s all-time leader in career wins when he led the Purple Eagles to a 1-0 win over William and Mary on Sept. 13; the victory also clinched second place in the prestigious Stihl Soccer Classic.  McGrane’s 48th wins broke the tie with Jean Tassey who had a 47-40-7 record in eight seasons with the Purple Eagles (1974-81). He currently has 56 wins.

Purple Eagles Takes Second In Stihl Classic

Niagara faced a pair of CAA powerhouses in the 34th Stihl Soccer Classic from Sept. 11 -13 in Norfolk, Va. NU lost 1-0 to the host and eventual champion, Old Dominion, on Friday night. The Purple Eagles rebounded by defeating William and Mary by the same score line on Sunday afternoon to claim second place in the classic. Goalkeeper John Fiutowski, defender Rene DeZorzi and midfielder Levi Tesch were named to the Stihl All-Tournament Team.

Against the Greyhounds

All-time series - Loyola leads 19-2-0, Loyola 1-0 in MAAC Tournament meeting

Niagara trails Loyola in the all-time series, 2-19-0. Loyola has won four-straight in the series with NU’s last win coming at home in 2006 (1-0). The Purple Eagles and Greyhounds played each other twice last season. On Oct. 10, 2008, then 12th-ranked Loyola scored the game’s only goal in the 89th minute to escape with a 1-0 win at Niagara Field. No. 4 seed Niagara faced No. 1 seed Loyola in the MAAC Semifinals on Nov. 14 in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; the Greyhounds won 3-0.