Box Score NORTH MANCHESTER, IND. – If the first match of the 2015 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference season is any indication, fans could be in for a wild ride throughout.
Manchester University and visiting Transylvania University, keeping after each other throughout 90 minutes at Spartan Soccer Field, went down the closing minutes before a winner could be decided. In the end, a breakaway score for the Pioneers lifted them to a close-knit 2-1 decision.
After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, each side collected a goal in the first five minutes. TU struck first in the 49th minute, but the combination of sophomore defender/midfielder/forward Tod Oram (Crown Point, Ind.) and freshman defender/midfielder Digby Strogen (Claremont, Calif.) brought the home crowd to its feet, as Strogen weaved through the visiting defense and found Oram who finished it off just 22 seconds later for a 1-1 tie.
It appeared as if the match was headed to an extra session as the clock worked its way just two minutes from the end of regulation before Tyler Joy-Brandon got a shot off a counter attack past sophomore goalkeeper Brady Forman's (Hastings, Mich.) diving stop attempt for the match decider. Forman, working against a 26-14 shots edge for TU, managed eight saves.
The Black and Gold take to the road looking to even their league mark Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Defiance College of Ohio. Kickoff is 4 p.m.
NOTES: Oram and fellow underclassman freshman midfielder/forward Ben Niederhelman (Ross, Ohio) led the shot chart with three each. Two of Niederhelman's tries were knocked away for saves, while Oram's lone strike on goal went into the net for his third goal of the season … Forman's save total marked the ninth time this season he's gathered five-or-more.
