Buffalo, N.Y. - Men's Soccer punched their ticket to the Metro Men's Soccer Championships with a 2-0 win over Battle of the Bridge Rival Canisius.
Niagara improved to 5-6-4, 4-3-3 in conference play, while Canisius fell to 2-13-1, 1-8-1 in Metro action.
Both sides were held scoreless after the first half of play, despite each team with four total shots with two finding each keeper.
The Purple Eagles opened the match courtesy of
Till Rauch in the 52nd minute to be the eventual game-winner.
Tetsunari Fujishiro took a corner kick for the Purple and White as he found Rauch to give Niagara a 1-0 lead over the Golden Griffins.
Niagara doubled their lead in the 78th minute of the match as Tommy Mittelstadt found
Thomas Brooks to give the Purple Eagles a 2-0 lead and the win over Canisius.
Grant Wyles recorded three saves in the clean-sheet win.
Niagara Notes
• Niagara improves to 15-7-3 all-time against Canisius
• The Purple Eagles have now gone to the postseason for the second straight year
• Brooks recorded his first goal of the season
• Rauch recorded his second goal of the season and his first career game-winner
• Fujishiro picked up his fourth point of the season
• Mittelstadt picked up his 11th point of the year, which leads the team
• Wyles recorded his fourth clean sheet of the year, his 14th of his career
Up Next
Niagara will travel to Fairfield, CT, to take on number four Sacred Heart on Saturday, November 7, for a 6 p.m. start time.
