Barton comeback falls short in Region VI title game
The Barton Community College women’s soccer team saw its remarkable season come to and end in the Region VI Championship game Sunday in a 4-3 loss to Johnson County. The Cougars put together a big 2nd half rally but were unable to overcome the Cavaliers, ending their record setting season with an 18-4 mark at Hummer Park in Topeka. The Cougars advanced to the finals with a 3-1 win over Butler in the semifinals. Barton was playing in the finals of the Region VI Championships for the 1st time in school history after winning its initial Jayhawk Conference title during the regular season.
Highlights
Barton struggled in the opening half as Johnson built a 3-0 lead with a flurry of goals in the opening 25 minutes of action. Johnson took a 1-0 lead at the 11-minute mark and pushed it to 2-0 just 4 minutes later. The Cavaliers made it 3-0 24 minutes into the game on Miranda Kirskey’s 2nd goal of the half. That is how the game went to halftime – the 1st time the Cougars had trailed at half since the 5th game of the year.
Barton put together a furious rally in the 2nd half and nearly evened the contest. Yesenia Garcia – Barton all-time leader in goals – scored back-to-back goals to start the 2nd half and pull Barton within a single goal at 3-2. Garcia scored on a penalty kick 10 minutes into the 2nd half and added a goal on a through ball from Jaszmyne Beverly 10 minutes to cut the lead to 3-2 with 25 minutes left in the game. Kirksey scored her 3rd goal of the game for Johnson with 19 minutes left on a free kick for a very brief 2 goal lead for the Cavaliers. In fact it lasted just 1 minute as Nataleigh Cliff scored on a pass from Garcia with 18 minutes left to cut the lead back to a single goal at 4-3.
Barton thought they had tied the game moments later as Johnson’s goalkeeper Kelly Voigts snagged a ball the Cougars had thought crossed the line before she grabbed it. It was ruled that Voigts had grabbed the ball before it crossed the goal line, preserving the 4-3 Johnson lead and the eventual win for the Cavaliers.
Barton advanced to the finals with a 3-1 win over Butler in the semifinals as Barton turned a 1-all halftime tie into the win with a pair of 2nd half goals. Barton trailed 1-0 when Shelbie Walburn scored 20 minutes into the contest but Theresa Crane made it 1-all with 11 minutes left in the half on a goal from Flavia Bernandes. Garcia and Cliff traded goals and assists in the 2nd half with Garcia scoring on an assist from Cliff in the opening minute of the 2nd half and Cliff scoring on a Garcia assist midway through the half.
Stats
Stats can be found at www.bartonccc.edu/sports
Next
Season complete with 18-4 record.
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Check out Barton County Soccer Online at www.bartonccc.edu/sports |
