North Manchester Ind. - Manchester opened the 2025 season at Good Field with a hard-fought 3–1 loss to DePauw. Despite being out-shot 22–3, the Spartans showed resilience and capitalized when they could.

The first half was tough defensively, as DePauw struck twice in the opening 22 minutes to take a 2–0 lead. Goalkeeper Reagan Claus made her presence felt early, making eight first-half saves to keep Manchester within striking distance.

Manchester found their breakthrough just five minutes into the second half. Lily DeTray put the Spartans on the board with a goal in the 50th minute, cutting the deficit to 2–1 and giving the home side a surge of momentum. However, DePauw responded in the 64th minute to restore a two-goal cushion.

Claus finished with 11 saves on the night, a standout performance that kept Manchester in the game. Offensively, DeTray led the attack with three shots and the lone goal, while the Spartans battled to create chances against a relentless DePauw offense.

In the end, Manchester's effort and grit were evident, but the visitors' pressure proved too much. The Spartans fall to 0–1–0 on the season and will look to build on the positives—highlighted by DeTray's scoring touch and Claus's reliability in goal—as they move forward.

Manchester returns to the pitch Wednesday, September 3 as they travel to Adrian for a 6:00 PM contest.