The Alma Women's Soccer team opened up the 2010 season on Wednesday on a warm, muggy day at Scotland Yard, and came away with a victory. The Scots, trailing 3-1 at the 58 minute mark, fought back and defeated visiting Baldwin-Wallace by a margin of 4-3.

"The girls showed character and perseverance after Baldwin-Wallace went up 3-1 in the second half," said Alma Head Coach Jeff Hosler, beginning his fifth campaign at the helm of the Scots. "They looked at each other and said we can do this and they did a great job to get the win. A victory in a non-conference game builds confidence and allows us to look back in similar situations and say to each other that we have done this."

The game started on a good note, when Sr. Jessica Swan (Romeo, MI/Romeo) chipped a goal over the goalkeepers head at 6:34, assisted by Jr. Alli Meurer (Holland, MI/Zeeland West). After Alma controlled play early, Baldwin-Wallace gained some footing. At the 30:57 mark, the Yellow Jackets tied the game at 1-1, when Brigitte Petrash scored on a rebound off the goal post and nudged it past Alma Jr. GK Monica Witt (Clio, MI/Clio).

The second half was very eventful and entertaining, but stressful for the home team. B-W connected at the 54:57 mark, when Heather Keller scored an unassisted goal that went off the body of an Alma defender. Less than four minutes later, the Yellow Jackets took a 3-1 lead when Bucky Gammiere scored from the top of the box for an unassisted goal that eluded Alma Jr. GK Emma Heppler (East Lansing, MI/East Lansing).

However, the home team struck back quickly when Meurer scored off of a cross from Jr. Carly Reising Otsego, MI/Otsego) just 50 seconds later to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Scots tied the game at the 73:43 mark when Swan took a long pass from Heppler and knocked in an impressive 20-foot shot to tie the contest at 3-3. The final tally of the game came at 80:32, when Fr. Taryn Handyside (Montrose, MI/Hill-McCoy) scored unassisted to give the Scots the final winning margin of 4-3.

The Scots travel to Ohio over the weekend to take on two very challenging opponents. They will play Greenville College (IL) at Defiance College (OH) on Saturday, beginning at 3:00 p.m., and then will go at it with Capitol University (OH) on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

"We will go up against two very good teams this weekend," said Hosler. "They are quality opponents that have a good history of success. But, I know our girls will challenge themselves and I have no doubt that they are going down there with the expectation to win."