The 8th ranked Barton Community College women's soccer team battled but came up short 5-4 in penalty kicks late Monday evening to 3rd ranked Tyler Junior College in pool play action of the NJCAA National Tournament.
Pitching a shutout for 110 minutes and playing without two starters, the second straight hard luck result at Wichita's Stryker Sports Complex officially ends the Cougars season at 14-3-4. Tyler, now 16-1-2, will next play Eastern Florida State College on Tuesday in the 5:30 p.m. pool play decisive contest for the right to advance to the national semifinals.
Having played last season in pool play on the national stage, the Cougars did everything they could to avenge last year's 2-0 loss to the Apaches. Playing stout defense in sacrificing its usual offensive minded attack, Barton shifted its play in the final thirty minutes of action creating multiple scoring chances including a near miss strike in the closing seconds of the final golden goal period.
Moving to penalty kicks in determining the result, Tyler went first in the alternative spot kicks putting pressure on the Cougars each time by rattling the net on all five attacks. Barton responded each time to match the Apaches, going to the fifth round where the result was decided as Barton's final strike hit the post setting off two-sides of emotions from the teams.
For the Cougars, the shot off the post was a symbolic of the final two weeks of the season. The rough closeout for the KJCCC Champions began two weeks ago in the Plains District Championship, going down a player for the final forty-five minutes and losing the title on a 70th minute goal. On Sunday in the opening pool play, a revamped game plan shifting the nation's top-five goal scorer Nina Norshie to the backline, the Cougars still created scoring opportunities but fell in unlucky fashion as a 64th minute goal provided the 1-0 defeat. Following the devasting loss, the Cougars would be facing another blow to its starting lineup in losing star midfielder Aya Saiki to injury. Again revamping the lineup and game plan, Coach Camara's squad put up a valiant effort that again came up just short on the scoreboard but left the Cougars a lot to be proud of through its adversity.