There weren’t many scoring opportunities Sunday afternoon at the Cougar Soccer Complex but the Barton Community College men’s soccer team made the most of their opportunities to outscore Cloud County Community College 2-1 in a key Jayhawk Conference battle. Following a scoreless first half with no shots by either team, offensive action picked up as each team put five shots on frame in the second half with the Cougars making the most of their opportunities. The victory improves the Cougars to 3-1-2 and 4-3-3 overall while Cloud County drops to 3-2-1 in the Jayhawk and 4-5-1 overall.
Renan Sousa set up the game’s first goal driving his defender through the left side of the penalty box then fired a left foot cross into the 8′ finding the boot of Jiro Barriga Toyama whose one-timer slid under the T-Bird goalkeeper giving Barton the 1-0 lead just 7:02 into the second half.
Off a Cloud County inbounds pass into the 18′, the Cougars made a combo of defensive mistakes allowing the T-Birds to get the equalizer. Unable to clear the pinball, the Cougar’s Austin Kail turned back two point-blank shots but again the Cougars couldn’t clear and the T-Bird’s Kendy Pierre made the third time the charm tying the contest with 15:08 remaining.
With a sudden charge of momentum, Cloud County had two consecutive hard attacks but the Cougars stood their ground turning both away without a shot on frame. Barton then seized the game winning opportunity in an almost replay of the Cougars first goal. Holding off his defender dribbling through the 18′, Matt Sherrod sent a cross to the far side of the box where Sousa finished off the pass in the lower 90 for the game winner with 11:29 left in the game.
Barton will take a week away from competition before traveling to Salina to take on the junior varsity squad of Kansas Wesleyan University on Sunday, October 5. Kick-off for the non-conference matchup is 4:00 p.m.
