Avenging a 2-0 defeat in Iola, Kansas, earlier in the season, the Barton Community College women’s soccer team won Saturday in the eighth round of a shootout to get the ultimate revenge over Allen Community College in the first round of the Region VI playoffs. Battling to a 1-1 tie through 110 minutes of action, the Lady Cougars got a big save in goal setting up the striking game winner setting off a frenzy of excitement on Allen’s home turf. The victory sends the fifth seeded 9-6-3 Lady Cougars to the semifinal round for the third straight year while fourth seeded Allen’s season comes to an end at 13-4-2.
Allen’s lone goal came early in the first half as Kyleigh Rowe’s pass from the corner was finished by Lexi Godlove giving the Red Devils the one goal advantage just under fifteen minutes into the contest.
Barton struck back with just over five minutes remaining in the half when Danielle Borelli found the back of the net from Maria Munoz‘ through ball.
With neither team taking advantage of scoring chances throughout the contest, the teams headed to the penalty kick round to decide a winner. Connecting on all through three rounds, Barton got their first opportunity to surge ahead following Allen’s miss but the Lady Cougars’ attempt sailed high of the crossbar. In almost an identical fifth and final round, Barton had the opportunity to wrap it up following another Red Devil miss but the Lady Cougars again missed the chance sending the contest into sudden death penalty kicks.
Allen put the pressure on the Lady Cougars making each of their first two attempts forcing Eliza Larsen and Aliya Marshall to convert on the biggest kicks of their careers. Goalkeeper Kacee Walsh then stepped up for her biggest collegiate career save rejecting Allen’s third sudden death kick setting Barton up for yet another game winning opportunity. Taking a short three step approach Edith Real set off an onrush of fellow blue jerseys to the field as the Dodge City freshman went low 90 on the near post sending Barton to the semifinal round.
The victory set up another rematch for Barton taking on top seeded and No. 10 ranked Hutchinson Community College. The 14-1-1 Blue Dragons came from behind at Cougar Field back in September to escape Barton’s upset bid winning 2-1 in overtime. The teams will square off Thursday at Topeka’s Hummer Park at 4:00 p.m. with the winner advancing to Friday’s noon Region VI Championship game.
See the game winning plays below or visit the Barton Sports YouTube Channel
