NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara men's and women's swimming & diving teams defeated Battle of the Bridge rival Canisius College on Friday evening at the Oxy Aquatics Center on the Niagara campus. The women's meet came down to the final relay, won by the Purple Eagles for the thrilling 126.5-115.5 victory. The men's team came out on top 145-90.

Entering the final event on the women's side, the winner of the 400 free relay would take the meet. Entering the final leg of the race, junior Ashley Clingersmith (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) was behind by over a body length, and with 25 yards remaining, blew past the Golden Griffins to cap an amazing event.

"I always do better under pressure, and I'm very competitive especially when it comes to swimming against our rivals," Clingersmith said. "The same situation happened to me in high school and I got out touched, so I wasn't going to let that happen again."

The 400 free relay team of Stephanie Gartley (Camlachie, Ont.), Hope Wiles (Baltimore, Md.), Dana Vernal (Milford, Conn.) and Clingersmith touched the wall at 3:48.04, topping the Canisius squad's 3:50.03.

Sophomore Ian O'Rourke (Grand Island, N.Y.) had some magic of his own, setting a pair of school records in the 1-meter and 3-meter dives, while qualifying for the NCAA Zone meet in both events. His scores of 350.4 (3-meter) and 347.93 (1-meter) bested his own school records.

"On the women's side, you look at this meet on paper, and we weren't expected to win,"  Niagara head coach Ben Nigro said. "Our women did the job all night by keeping it close, and it came down to the relay. Ashley is such a fighter and she pulled it out in the end. She didn't want her classmates to lose to Canisius."

Clingersmith was a triple winner on the night, claiming top honors in the 200 and 100 free as well as the 400 relay.

Gartley, earned a tie in the 50 free, touching in at 26.33 with Canisius' Julia Terrien. Gartley was trailing down the stretch and outstretched Terrien to earn the split. The senior sprinter joined the swim team just a few months ago for the first time in her illustrious athletic career after a standout soccer career at NU.

Evinn Drusys (Yucaipa, Calif.) and Michael Smeichowski (Apex, N.C.) were each triple winners on the men's side. Drusys claimed the 200 medley relay, 50 free and 100 free, while Smeichowski won the 200 free, 200 fly and 500 free.

The women are back in action in the on Saturday for a 1 p.m. meet at home against Siena.