ALBION, Mich. – Calvin overcame a two-goal deficit to take a second half lead but a late-game equalizer by the home side forced the Knights to settle for a 3-3 tie at Albion Wednesday night.

Calvin gains one point in the MIAA standings with the draw and now sits in a tie for third place in the MIAA standings with Adrian with 10 conference points.

Calvin (9-5-2 overall, 2-1-2 MIAA) dominated the first half in terms of possession and shot at goal but Albion scored the only goal of the opening 45 minutes. The Britons cleared a pair of Calvin shots off the line, one in the opening minutes of the match and another midway through the half on a goal-mouth scrum.

Against the run of play, Albion moved the ball quickly up the field late in the half and drew a free kick from the right wing. The free kick was saved by a diving save by Calvin senior goalkeeper Kaelen Matascastillo (New Kensington, Pa./Minnesota Virtual Academy). The save led to a corner kick however. On the corner kick, Calvin failed to clear the ball from the edge of its penalty box and Albion's Esteban Mercardo was able to poke home a shot for a 1-0 Briton lead with 7:54 left in the half.

Albion carried the 1-0 lead into halftime and added a second goal in the 52^nd minute as Mercado again broke free through the Calvin back line and fired home a shot for a 2-0 lead.

Albion was charged with a plethora of fouls throughout the match and the play caught up to the Britons in the 60^th minute as Calvin was awarded a penalty kick. Calvin senior Alex White (Lake Bluff, Il./Lake Forest Academy) made good on the spot kick to slice the deficit in half.

In the 64^th minute, Albion was guilty of a foul in the center of the pitch. From nearly 25 yards out, White took a free kick and smashed a low hard shot past the Albion defensive wall with his shot deflecting off the goalkeeper's hands and into the net to make a 2-2 match.

Calvin appeared to have the game in its hands when the Knights drew another penalty kick in the 75^th minute and White drove home the shot for a 3-2 lead and a hat-trick performance.

Albion was not done as the Britons were able to bounce a ball over the Calvin backline in the 83^rd minute which led to a clean break by Mercardo up the left wing. Mercado made no mistake on the chance, slotting home a shot to tie the match 3-3 and gain a hat-trick performance of his own in the process.

Calvin finished the match with a 32-6 shots at goal advantage but the Briton defense was able to soak up pressure and play for the counter-attack for key portions of the match. Calvin had 17 corner kicks to Albion's one. Albion was whistled for 14 fouls and seven yellow cards. Calvin was issued 11 fouls and one yellow card.

Matascastillo went the first half for the Knights and had one save. Senior Zac Moore (Pilesgrove, NJ/Woodstown HS) went the second half and recorded two saves.

COACHES COMMENT: "Credit the resolve to climb back but we just have to be better," said Calvin head men's soccer coach Ryan Souders. "Bottom line we've got to find a way to get road results. Good teams do that. We have flashes, and moments, but we just have to be better. Simple as that."

NEXT UP: Calvin returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Alma at 7 p.m. on Calvin Senior Night at the Calvin Soccer Stadium.