Box Score ALBION, Mich. – Jerry Block's 120th victory as Albion College men's soccer coach may have been his most improbable. Kyle Alsheskie scored the equalizer with less than two minutes left in regulation and his goal with 27 seconds remaining in the first overtime period lifted the Britons to a 3-2 victory over Hope College at Alumni Field.
The victory – Albion's first since Oct. 1 – gives the Britons a chance to finish the season with a 7-7 record against its league rivals if they can get positive results from the final three contests of the season. The next two contests will be played on the road, starting with a Saturday night date at Adrian College.
"I can't express how proud I am of the team today," Block said. "We could have easily written off the season and gone through the motions. There was a ton of heart, a ton of determination.
"We have to take it a game at a time and our work rate cannot drop after this," Block added. "This effort has to be our new standard."
Alsheskie, who achieved the first hat trick of his collegiate career, has scored the game-winning goal in five of Albion's six victories this season. The senior from Wixom has scored 12 goals this season, the most for a Briton since David Knox produced 11 in 2006.
Block said his squad changed tactics to overcome the loss of Bobby Budlong in the midfield. The Britons finished with more than one goal for the first time since a 3-2 setback at Trine University on Oct. 7.
"We've gone to a more up tempo game," Block said. "We're going to meet our opponents head on, get our work rate up, and attack the ball.
Albion never led in the contest. Josh Hagene pounced on a turnover in the back to boost Hope to the lead 4 ½ minutes into the second half.
Albion forged a 1-1 tie in the 64th minute when Alsheskie took a through ball from Evan Schweizer and put a strike past Hope goalkeeper Ethan Beswick.
Beswick denied Albion a chance to seize the lead when he snuffed out Alsheskie's penalty kick in the 70th minute.
"When we missed the penalty kick I thought maybe this isn't our season," Block admitted.
Albion's fate looked darker when Hagene struck again in the 77th minute.
Charles Micunek, one of the anchors of Albion's back line, dished out the assist on the equalizer and Mike Tolkacz sent the ball to Alsheskie for the winning goal.
Zach Haapala stopped eight shots to achieve his first career victory as goalkeeper.
