RENSSELAER, IND. – A strong defensive line performance helped bolster Manchester University in its 2015 opener Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The Spartans, facing NCAA Division II program St. Joseph’s College, kept things on level terms for the first 45 minutes with a 0-0 halftime tie. The host Pumas, upping their record to 2-0, unlocked the draw in the opening minutes of the second half and managed two more scores to stave off the determined MU effort in a 3-1 final.

Despite being out-shot 10-7 by their hosts, the Black and Gold received four saves in net from sophomore goalkeeper Brady Forman (Hastings, Mich.), denoting his eighth multiple-save contest. Sophomore defender/midfielder/forward Tod Oram (Crown Point, Ind.) got the visiting fans to their feet with an unassisted score, his second career goal, in the 81^st minute, trimming the margin to 2-1 before SJU answered back in the final minute and a half.

Oram and sophomore midfielder/forward Travis Richardson (Elizabethtown, Ind.) topped the shots chart. Oram contributed a team-high three, while Richardson added two.

The Black and Gold resume their season-opening three-match road trip by competing in a tournament hosted by Illinois Tech Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 5 and 6. Manchester University takes on the host Red Hawks Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and Marian University of Wisconsin at 2:30 p.m. EST Sunday.

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