ALBION, Mich. – Albion College gained a 2-1 result over Hope College to vault into third place in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association women's soccer standings.
Albion (7-4-2 overall, 4-1-1 MIAA) will complete the regular season on the road. The Britons will travel to Calvin College on Saturday and to Adrian College next Tuesday.
Albion gambled early, playing with only three defenders, and Hope took advantage of the extra space just 75 seconds into the match. Brinley Nieuwenhuis scored to put Hope in front.
Surrendering an early score proved to be difficult for Albion to overcome last week as it absorbed a loss to Kalamazoo College and played to a draw at Olivet College.
This time, Albion found a way to respond.
"(The key to overcoming the deficit) was mentality," Albion Head Coach Eric Scott said. "These games are character exposing. We responded against a Hope program that has been the standard bearer in the MIAA the last couple of years."
While Albion was willing to give up space in the back, it also gained an extra attacker.
"We wanted to go at them if we could," Scott said.
Rayna Edwards generated Albion's first scoring chance, a shot in the 12th minutes that forced Hope goalkeeper Jordanne Ellingboe to sprawl to get her right hand on the ball to make the score.
Albion scored the equalizer in the 37th minute when Riley Burnette finished her fifth goal of the season and her first since Sept. 8. McKenna Graham dished out the assist.
Edwards was awarded a penalty kick after she was taken down in the box in the 45th minute. She scored her first game-winning goal at the collegiate level.
Playing with the lead, Albion went back to its formation with four defenders on the back line.
Albion absorbed the Hope pressure, though the Flying Dutch may have scored the equalizer had the match been only one or two seconds longer.
Albion controlled 53 percent of the possession according to NCAA Live Stats. The Britons generated 10 shots. Edwards was credited with four shots, placing three on goal.
Follow the Albion women's soccer team on Twitter (@AlbionWSoccer) and Instagram (albionwomenssoccer). General Albion athletics news is available on Twitter (@GoBrits), Instagram (AlbionAthletics) and Facebook (facebook.com/albionathletics)
.Joe and Julie Serra have given a $5 million leadership gift to launch a fundraising initiative to make two dreams a reality at Albion College. The first is a newly expanded fitness and student activity facility at the site of the current Dow Recreation and Wellness Center. The second is a new or renovated competition facility for the volleyball, men's basketball and women's basketball teams that currently call Kresge Gymnasium home.
The College is continuing to raise funds in support of both projects. To learn more, call 517/629-0446 or email advancement@albion.edu