Box Score ALBION, Mich. – Albion College scored a 2-1 victory over Alma College Thursday to leap into a group of teams with 1-1 records against Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association rivals.
Albion, Alma, and Kalamazoo College are all 1-1 after two league dates.
For Albion, the effort was an improvement from Monday in a 2-0 loss at Hope College.
"That Alma team is very good," Albion Coach Eric Scott said. "We needed to be better than we were Monday against Hope. I challenged the girls before the game and they answered the call.
"We measure (success) by winning the 50/50 balls and we did a better job, certainly, than we did Monday," Scott added. "We need to mature as a team in the final third (of the field) but, to be fair, we took advantage of some very good opportunities in the first half."
First-year forward Jenna Urso placed a shot from the 18 yard box in the left corner in the 26th minute for her third collegiate goal and she assisted on a goal by substitute Taylor Shrader 7 ½ minutes later.
Alma cut the Albion lead in half when Brianna Russell pounced on a rebound with five minutes remaining in the first half. Russell's attempt to forge a tie with a minute left in the first half was stopped by Briton goalkeeper Maggie Troost. Troost also came up with a save on a shot by Amanda Mladenovski on the same series.
Both teams had dangerous scoring chances in the first nine minutes of the second half. Urso's chance was stopped by Alma goalkeeper Jenna Fassbender, while Troost collected saves on attempts by Megan Kalanik and Kailey Vlug.
Alma was awarded a pair of corner kicks in the final three minutes, but the only shot the Scots would get – a header by Samantha Waldrop – sailed high of the goal.
Albion, now 5-1 overall, has won all four of its contests played at home so far this season. The Britons, however, have a road trip to Adrian College coming up Saturday.
"We've raised expectations, but we need to maintain our consistent behavior," Scott said.
