GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Calvin suffered a 4-3 defeat to the Albion Britons Tuesday night at Calvin Soccer Stadium. The loss was a painful result in the league standings. With the defeat, the Knights drop out of a first-place tie with rival Hope in the league standings down to a third-place tie with Adrian with Albion moving past Calvin and into second place in the league table. With two games left to play in the MIAA regular season, Calvin has 10 points as does 3-1-1 Adrian. Hope leads the league at 4-0-1 with 13 points with Albion (12 points) just a point behind Hope and two ahead of Calvin and Adrian at 4-1-0.

Calvin (11-3-1 overall) led twice in Tuesday night's match with Albion (11-2-1 overall) but the Britons used a frenetic second half to pull ahead and eventually hang on for the win.  

Calvin stunned the Britons early as junior Matt Torrell (Rochester, N.Y./The Charles Finney School) received a headed pass from sophomore teammate Leonardo Oliveira (Miami Beach, Fla./Miami Beach Senior) and slipped a low shot inside the near post from 20 yards out that surprised the Albion defense. The play began with a throw-in by sophomore Jake Ziolo into the edge of the box that Oliveira was able to redirect to Torrell for the score.

The Knights nearly made it 2-0 in the 14^th minute as Jake Ziolo (Dublin, Oh./Dublin Jerome HS) sent a free kick from 24 yards out over the Albion wall and on frame. Albion goalkeeper Tom Veresh was able to make a diving save to keep the ball out.

Calvin nearly scored again in the 40^th minute off a corner kick by freshman Odis Fickell (Holland, Mich./Holland HS) that found the head of senior Jonah Meyer-Crothers (Sylvania, Oh./Sylvania Northview HS). Meyer-Crother's headed shot crashed off the near goalpost however and deflected away from goal.

Albion turned the screw on its offensive engine early in the second half, breaking through for a goal in the 47^th minute on a short cross into the six-yard box that was finished by Ivan Murillo.

Calvin countered in the 52^nd minute as freshman Will Lanham (Commerce Township, Mich./Notre Dame Prep) was fouled while racing into the Albion box, giving the Knights a penalty kick. Torrell stepped up and made no mistake, cramming a shot top shelf to give the Knights a 2-1 lead.

Albion began to find space against the Calvin back line and stunned the Knights with goals in the 62^nd minute (Joshua Jasinkiewicz) and 64^th minute (Ivan Murillo). The Britons added a fourth goal in the 78^th minute as Gabe Priestly went racing through the center of the box to pop a shot into a wide-open net for a 4-2 Albion lead.

Calvin mounted one last push and closed to within 4-3 on a header by senior Hans Pruis (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) off a corner kick from Fickel. The Pruis goal came with 5:16 left in the match.

The Knights nearly tied the game with just under two minutes left when a squared pass was sent to the back post with Calvin unable to get a foot on a potential game-tying chance.

Albion ran out the final seconds to come away with the win.

Albion held a 16-12 shots at goal advantage and at one point, held an 8-1 shots at goal advantage in the second half before the Knights rallied late.

Senior Zach Moore (Pilesgrove, NJ/Woodstown HS) had two saves for Calvin in goal while Veresh had three saves in goal for Albion.

COACHES COMMENT: "We got everything we earned tonight," said Calvin head men's soccer coach Ryan Souders. "Albion absolutely whooped us and deserved the win. Credit to them. It has to start in the mirror for us, myself at the top of the list. We just aren't as good as we think we are. And our work rate should reflect that, not the opposite. We'll have to lick the wounds quickly as there are still two very important league games left."

NEXT UP: Calvin will travel to Alma on Saturday for a 2 p.m. conference match.