Senior Traci Liberi won the 100 free Saturday vs. Fairfield.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University men’s swimming and diving team won its home and season opener with a 140-96 victory over Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference foe Fairfield at the Oxy Aquatic Center on the Monteagle Ridge campus.

A young Purple Eagle team was not fazed by the Stags’ experience as Niagara freshmen won five events. It was a clean sweep in the 100 yard butterfly as freshman Pat Garvey (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush), Joe Lawton (Olathe, Kan./Olathe South) and Kevin Betts (Victor, N.Y./Victor) took home the top three spots.

Diver Dave Germain (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego) took second in the men’s one meter , and beat out three Fairfield divers on the three meter.

Niagara won 10 of 13 events and were led by multiple winners Betts, Garvey, Lawton,

Brian Griffin (Petersburg, Va./St. Vincent de Paul), Kevin Klein (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego) and James Polito (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin).

The Purple Eagle women’s swimming and diving team didn’t fare as well, dropping it’s season and home opener, 134-107, to the Stags.

Trailing 66-45, Niagara mounted a comeback with three consecutive wins. The Purple Eagles were led by senior Traci Liberi (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) and sophomores Jodi Kennis (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) and Heather Link (Wheatfield, N.Y./Niagara Wheatfield) to bring the score to within two points, 84-82. Liberi won the women’s 100 yard freestyle in 55.82, while Kennis and Link took first in the 100 yard butterfly (1:02.45) and backstroke (1:02.23), respectively. The Stags pulled away winning the final four events.

Sophomore Emily Zimdahl (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) mirrored the men’s Germain in the women’s diving competition, winning the three meter and placing second on the one meter.

The women’s team continues action Sunday when they take on the University of Vermont and Youngstown State in a three-team dual meet at noon at the Oxy Aquatic Center.