ALBION, Mich. -- A crisp fall Saturday set the stage for a hard-nosed performance from the Albion College men's soccer team on Saturday afternoon, as the Britons earned a 2-0 win over Alma College. 

With the victory, Albion improved to 9-1-1 overall and 2-0 in MIAA action. Alma moved to 6-6-1 and 0-2 in conference action. 

It was a tight contest across 90 minutes as both sides looked to earn an all-important conference victory. Albion came flying out of the gates in front of the home crowd, firing four shots across the first 32 minutes of the tilt. The pressure paid off in the 37th minute. Robin Ruigendijk charged past a defender into the right side of Alma's box and laced a cross across the mouth of the goal. Xavier Yuille charged in with a sliding effort to give the Britons a 1-0 lead. 

Albion kept the pressure up to open the second half as Alex Bugingo, Binck-Jan Bakker, and Yuille all forced saves from Alma's Bradshaw Uhlmann. Despite the momentum lying with the Britons, the Scots drew a penalty kick after contact in Albion's penalty area. JJ Riggsby managed to beat Tom Veresh from the penalty spot to knot the score at 1-1 with just over 25 minutes to play. 

Esteban Mercado nearly pushed the Britons ahead five minutes later, as a left footed effort rattled Alma's post. Khalil Camara and Mercado each tested Uhlmann over the ensuing seven minutes, but Alma kept the score level. Albion's breakthrough finally came in the 76th minute.

Ruigendijk was involved again, as asome nifty footwork saw the first-year forward race past his defender and into a 1-on-1 situation with Uhlmann. The Scots' keeeper clattered into the Niewerkerk aan den Ijssel, Netherlands, native, which sent Mercado to the penalty spot for Albion. The sophomore calmly stepped up to the spot and slotted the ball home to put the Britons ahead.

Alma had one last scoring opportunitiy with a wicked shot off a free kick from just outside of Albion's 18-yard box. Veresh was up to the task however as a diving effort to his left sealed the win for the Britons.

Albion ended the contest with a 16-8 advantage in shots and a 6-2 edge in corner kicks. Veresh played the full 90 minutes in goal and tallied three saves. Lucas Anderson, Joshua Jasinkiewicz, Bugingo, and Bakker all logged 90 minutes for the Britons in the win. 

Up Next
The Britons hit the road for an MIAA tilt against Adrian College on Wednesday, October 15. Kick-off is set for 7 pm.