Junior Lindsay Bechtold

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams meet their final league foe before the 2006 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships when they travel to Canisius College for a 6 p.m. meet Friday in the Koessler Center pool.

The Purple Eagle women’s team enters the dual meet on a winning note after knocking off Siena College, 179-98, on Monday in Loudonville. The victory improved the squad’s records to 5-6 overall and 4-3 in the league.

Freshman Allison Carr (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Wheatfield) had a successful week. As the reigning Niagara Athlete of the Week, Carr set the school record in the 200 breaststroke and broke the Siena Swim Center pool record in the 100 breaststroke.

Senior Emily Zimdahl (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) will be protecting a two-meet diving streak Friday. She has won both the one- and three-meter events vs. the University at Buffalo and vs. the Saints.

On the men’s side, the Purple Eagles look to improve their 5-4 overall and 3-2 MAAC records on Friday. In the last outing, Niagara lost at the University at Buffalo, 107-73, on Jan. 18.

Junior Dave Germain (Oswego, N.Y.) won both the one- and three-meter diving events in the UB meet, while sophomore James Polito (Reading, Pa.) won the 50 free and classmate Kevin Betts (Victor, N.Y.) set a season-best in the 200 butterfly.

Both the Canisius men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will be looking for wins to snap a pair of losing streaks.

The Golden Griffin men’s team is 1-8 overall and 1-2 in the MAAC. They lost to St. Bonaventure on Jan. 8, extending their losing streak to four meets. On the women’s side, Canisius is 1-11 overall and 1-4 in the conference. They also lost to the Bonnies, 136-72, and have five-meet losing streak.

Earlier this season, both the Niagara men’s and women’s teams defeated Canisius in a tri-meet at Saint Peter’s College on Nov. 12. The Purple Eagle men won, 72-33, and the women, 92-15.