Albion seemed to have things under control when first-year post player Emi Guimond knocked down a layup to give the Britons a nine-point advantage, 53-44, four minutes into the second half.
Hope responded by using an aggressive full-court press to put the brakes on the Albion offense while going on a 12-2 run over a five-minute span. The Flying Dutch took its only lead of the second half on a Megan Noll layup with 11 minutes remaining.
Boosted by a pair of three-point baskets by senior guard Vanessa Thompson, a Guimond layup, and two baskets by sophomore forward Ruthie Sventickas, Albion's lead ballooned to double-digits, 70-60, with 4-1/2 minutes remaining.
Albion extended the lead to 14, 78-64, when senior guard Sarah Caskey sank a pair of free throws with 2:18 remaining.
Albion tried to make things interesting, turning the ball over on its next three possessions and missing a pair of free throws on its fourth trip down the floor, but Hope was only able to capitalize with a pair of free throws by Bria Ebels and a three-point field goal by Sarah Jurik that trimmed Albion's lead to nine, 78-69, with 1:08 on the clock.
Caskey made two free throws with 1:03 left, and junior guard Jaime Fornetti knocked down four free throws in the final minute to seal the Briton victory.
For the day, Albion shot a season-best 54.5 percent (24-of-44) from the field and 68.8 percent (11-of-16) from three-point range. Caskey led the Britons with 22 points, while Thompson and Guimond posted season-highs of 19 and 12 points, respectively. Sventickas also scored in double figures with 14.
Off the bench, Jurik provided 18 first half points and 21 points overall to lead Hope (7-2 overall, 2-1 MIAA).
Albion returns to non-league play Monday, Dec. 20, when it hosts Baldwin-Wallace College for a 6 p.m. game.
HOPE COLLEGE (7-2; 2-1 MIAA) Sarah Jurik 6-10 4-5 21; Adelynn Vilmann 3-8 7-8 13; Julie Henderson 4-10 3-3 13; Bria Ebels 3-15 2-2 9; Ellen Wood 2-4 2-3 6; Megan Noll 2-6 0-1 4; Jordyn Boles 1-5 0-0 2; Linda Ebels 1-2 0-0 2; Ashley Plowman 0-1 2-2 2; Gracia Kamps 0-0 0-0 0; Jennie IntVeld 0-0 0-0 0; Stacy Warsen 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 22-66 20-24 72. ALBION COLLEGE (8-1; 3-0 MIAA) Sarah Caskey 4-10 10-10 22; Vanessa Thompson 6-8 3-6 19; Ruth Sventickas 5-11 4-5 14; Emi Guimond 5-7 2-2 12; Jaime Fornetti 1-3 6-8 8; Stacey Jenema 2-2 0-0 6; Jessica Babcock 1-1 0-0 3; Katie Elder 0-0 0-0 0; Blair Meyer 0-0 0-0 0; Kellyn Glynn 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 24-44 25-31 84. Hope College.................. 34 38 - 72 Albion College................ 39 45 - 84 3-point goals-Hope College 8-27 (Sarah Jurik 5-8; Julie Henderson 2-4; Bria Ebels 1-10; Megan Noll 0-4; Jordyn Boles 0-1), Albion College 11-16 (Vanessa Thompson 4-4; Sarah Caskey 4-8; Stacey Jenema 2-2; Jessica Babcock 1-1; Ruth Sventickas 0-1). Fouled out--Hope College-None, Albion College-None. Rebounds-Hope College 35 (Adelynn Vilmann 9), Albion College 31 (Emi Guimond 8). Assists-Hope College 11 (Julie Henderson 3), Albion College 21 (Sarah Caskey 9). Total fouls-Hope College 25, Albion College 19. A-248