NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. – The Manchester University men's soccer team dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker to visiting Bluffton University in the team's regular season finale on Wednesday October 27.

The stakes were high in Wednesday's game – a win for either team would guarantee a spot in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, which is set to begin on Saturday October 30. A loss would mark the end of the season.

Bluffton managed to score the game's only goal in the 15^th minute. Elijah Zimmerman was able to benefit from a failed clear out in the box by the Spartans, playing the ball into the back of the net. Zimmerman's score was his ninth goal of the season.

Manchester would lead in shots taken in Wednesday's contest 12-6. MU also held a 6-2 advantage on shots placed on goal and corner kicks taken 6-3.

Sophomore Harley Kruschwitz (North Manchester, Ind./Manchester) led the Black & Gold with 6 shots. Kruschwitz ended the season with 14 goals – tied for the eighth-most goals in a single-season in school history and the most goals in a single-season since Josh Gonzalez scored 14 goals in 2018.

Junior Ruben Gonzalez (Sylvania, Ohio/Sylvania Northview) placed all 3 of his shots on goal against the Beavers.

For Bluffton, keeper Angel Velasco-Urbina made 6 saves en route to the clean sheet.

With the win, Bluffton clinches the No. 6 seed the HCAC Tournament. Defiance College defeated Earlham College earlier this afternoon and clinched the No. 5 seed. The Beavers ended the regular season 8-7, 4-5 HCAC.

The Spartans ended the season with a record of 6-10-1, 3-6 HCAC.