13th ranked Cougars pass final tune-up with 2-0 win at Otero; begin conference play Wednesday #GoBarton

The 13th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team wrapped up its Colorado swing with a 2-0 victory Sunday afternoon at Otero Junior College.

Posting consecutive shutouts in La Junta, the Cougars improve to 6-1 on the year as Otero slips to 0-3-1. Barton next turns its attention to conference play opening up Wednesday with a 5:00 p.m. kick at Dodge City Community College.

Barton got on the board in the approximate 14th minute due to nifty passing setting up Tajay Grant's team leading 7th goal of the year. Genildo Postimo began the perfectly executed play with a short chipped dumped towards the corner where Kotaro Natsume one-touched a through ball back across the box being met by Grant blasting past the Rattler keeper.

Fighting off Otero's constant attacks through the early stages of second half play, Barton got the insurance goal it needed in the 68th minute on what could prove to be the Cougars' most spectacular strikes of the year. Kimito Fritz set up the play for his first collegiate assist, sending a forward pass from the back line upfield where Lucas Constante fielded the ball on a short-hop to strike a 30-yard volleyed laser near post for his second of the season.

Dennis Bottcher improves to 5-1 in goal for the Cougars, leading the backline to his third shutout of the season and the team's fourth.