Box Score ALBION, Mich. – The final line read Albion College defeated Olivet College, 2-0, on the opening day of Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association men's soccer action. The contest, however, was far more dramatic than the score indicates.
Albion was credited with four shots in the first half, but the only score came when Kyle Alsheskie got a shot off just before an Olivet defender tried to make a sliding tackle. Alsheskie slid the shot past Olivet goalkeeper Ryan Grashik in the 25th minute for his third goal of the season.
"We had a ton of chances in the first half and I believe there could have been three or four goals for us," Albion Coach Jerry Block said after his team improved to 3-3 overall. "We were hoping that wouldn't come back to bite us because when you get that many chances in a half you have to put a few more away and seal the game."
Alsheskie continued his aggressive play early in the second half with two shots – one high of the goal and the other stopped by Grashik.
Albion attacking style was stopped when it was forced to play a man down after Andrew Prince was issued a pair of yellow cards in a five-minute period. While Olivet had the controlled possession, the Comets only got two shots off as the back line comprised of goalkeeper Andrew Bobowski and defenders Chris Armstrong, Sean Bartoshuk, Colin Howard, Steven Lockhart, and Michael Reitmyer limited the scoring chances.
"We had to substitute liberally once we went a man down, but the guys responded and I give them a huge amount of credit," Block said. "It's tough to keep defending for 30 minutes."
Albion tacked on its second goal with 11 seconds remaining as Charles Micunek placed a shot from 20 yards out in the net for his second goal of the season.
The road doesn't get any easier for Albion. The Britons will host Manchester (Ind.) University for at 2:30 p.m. Saturday for its final non-league contest of the season before traveling to eighth-ranked Hope College and Kalamazoo College next week for MIAA contests.
