BANGOR, Maine — The Husson University men's swimming & diving team pushed Eastern Connecticut State University to the final event in Saturday's showdown, winning the 200-yard freestyle relay to win the meet 141-137.
 
The Eagles began their day by winning the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:41.98, the team of junior's Alex Walsh, Ryan Emerson, Brady Hand and Brayden Champlin put on an impressive performance coming down to the wire with Champlin touching the pad by .01 seconds faster than ECSU. 
 
Senior Nathan Gilliam finished second in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 11:04.10, while Walsh won the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:52.50. 
 
Emerson made it back-to-back wins for the Eagles, winning the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 56.38 and freshman Jake Perkins finished third in the 100-yard breaststroke with a mark of 1:07.72.
 
Hand finished third in the 200-yard butterfly, competing in the event for the first time in his career, finishing with a time of 2:08.87, while Champlin added to his impressive day with a win in the 50-yard freestyle at 22.86, while junior Sam Peiser finished third with a time of 23.40. 
 
Senior Matt Steeves added to the Eagles point total with a win in the one-meter, six-dive event, posting a score of 200.80. 
 
Emerson and Champlin finished first and second, respectively in the 100-yard freestyle with times of 49.77 and 50.58, while Walsh hit the wall at 2:06.03 to win the 200-yard backstroke. Additionally, junior Jacob Brown finished third with a time of 2:26.48. 
 
Perkins finished third in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:35.02, and senior Hunter Jackson and freshman Walker Bennett increased Husson's score with second and third place performances in the 500-yard freestyle. 
 
Peiser and junior Lucas Fendl finished second and third, respectively in the 100-yard butterfly and Steeves scored a 158.55 to win the one-meter, five-dive event. 
 
The Eagles would lose the meet lead in the 400-yard IM, but Hand's third-place finish set up a thrilling 200-yard freestyle showdown. 
 
Husson's relay team of Champlin, Walsh, Peiser and Emerson hit the wall at 1:30.21, ahead of ECSU's 1:31.40 to win the meet by four points. 
 
The Eagles now travel to Gordon College on Saturday for a head-to-head beginning at 1 p.m.