PHOTOS

NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. -- The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology men's soccer team brought home their third HCAC Tournament Championship in the last four years with a 1-0 win over Manchester.

Manchester came out firing early in the first half with three shots in the first 74 seconds of the game, but the Rose-Hulman back line and goalkeeper John Biederstedt kept the game level early on.

The Spartans would end up having the first six shots of the game before freshman Chase Kedzior made a great move around the Manchester keeper in the 15th minute and fired the first Rose-Hulman shot of the game towards the open net, but a Manchester defender came out of nowhere to keep the ball out of the back of the net.

In the 34th minute, Rose-Hulman found the back of the net as Julius Salinas fired a shot across the face of the goal from 20 yards out. The Manchester keeper was able to get a hand on it, but he was unable to haul it in which allowed Connor Patton to follow it up and score what would be the game-winning goal.

The Spartans would not get another shot in the first half after their six shots in the first 12 minutes of the game. In the second half, it was a knock-down, drag-out soccer game with both teams looking to deliver punches. However, neither defense was giving an inch.

Rose-Hulman had a great chance in the 65th minute to double their lead as Jackson Seida slipped one past the keeper, but a Manchester defender again saved one off the line to keep the game in reach.

Manchester had a pair of great looks in the 84th and 89th minutes, but John Biederstedt was able to keep the ball out of the back of the net, record his tenth shutout of the year, and lead the Fightin' Engineers to another HCAC Tournament Championship! The title gives Rose-Hulman its 7th Tournament title in the last 13 years and its 8th Tournament title under Head Coach Sean Helliwell.

Connor Patton, Kai Moore, and Owen Trudt were all named to the HCAC All-Tournament team, and goalkeeper John Biederstedt earned HCAC Tournament MVP Honors.

The Fightin' Engineers improve to 12-5-3 on the season and earn the automatic bid into the 2023 NCAA Division III Tournament next weekend. Rose-Hulman will learn where they will be heading on Monday at 2 PM with the NCAA Selection Show which can be seen live HERE.