NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – In a game that was physical from the start, the Niagara men’s soccer team shut out the rival Canisius Golden Griffins 2-0 to wrap up the regular season and head into the conference championship with some momentum.

“I felt the boys played well tonight,” head coach Chase Brooks said about his team.  “Going into a rivalry game you always know it is going to be tough; no matter the records of the teams. “

Five yellow cards were handed out on the night, to go along with the 29 total fouls that were called.  The intensity was high from the start. 

Canisius (4-12-1, 2-6-1 MAAC) controlled play in the first half, recording 12 shots in the opening frame, but only forced Niagara junior Brett Petricek to make a single save.  Petricek would finish with four saves on the evening to record his sixth shutout of the season.

“The guys responded well,” said Brooks. “Defensively we were sound, we took care of business on the offensive side of the ball, and got the result we worked so hard for.”

Niagara (9-4-4, 4-2-3 MAAC) broke the scoreless tie in the 37^th minute as Carl Haworth was awarded a penalty kick.  The senior snuck the ball past a diving Ryan Arvin low on the right side.  Haworth would score again in the 53^rd minute on a direct kick from just outside the goalbox to put the Purple Eagles up 2-0.  The two scores were Haworth’s 11^th and 12^th goals of the year.

“Again it started with Carl who got two goals, but it’s not just him at the end of the day,” Brooks said.  I thought everyone who saw minutes tonight played well.”

“It comes down to everyone working hard in training to prepare,” he continued.  “That’s the type of momentum and that’s the type of mentality we’re going to take to Disney.”

Niagara has clinched the fourth seed in the 2011 MAAC Tournament, beginning on Thursday, Nov. 3. The Purple Eagles will start their quest for the team's first-ever conference tournament crown on Friday, Nov. 4 at 1:30 p.m., taking on either Manhattan, Marist or Saint Peter's.