Cougar Soccer loss at Pratt costly in regular season finale

The Barton Community College men's soccer team failed to hold the lead Thursday in Pratt giving up two second half goals in losing 2-1 to Pratt Community College to wind up the regular season.   The loss dropped Barton from the third seed for the upcoming Region VI playoffs all the way down to the sixth seed and sends the Cougars to a first round matchup away from home turf for the first time in history.  Barton ends the regular season 4-3-2 in Jayhawk play and 6-5-3 overall while Pratt jumps ahead of the Cougars to the fifth seed improving to 5-4-0 in conference and 8-6 overall.

The Cougars took a 1-0 lead into halftime coming from a Renan Sousa goal.  With 7:12 remaining in the half, Jiro Barriga Toyama just missed striking the post but Sousa was on the spot in giving Barton the one goal lead.

In a game where the Cougars controlled most of the action, a second half questionable penalty kick totally changed the tide in the game.  Declan Fitzpatrick finished off the penalty kick to tie the game with 37:01 remaining and in a game marred with six yellow cards, the Beavers scored again twelve minutes later as Fitzpatrick found Peter Connelly breaking through the defense to beat Austin Kail one-on-one for the game winner.  

Barton's loss will send the Cougars to Dodge City Community College on Thursday in first round Region VI playoff action.  The Conquistadors will enter the contest as the third seed having finished the conference season at 5-2-2 and 11-4-2 overall.   The two teams battled to a 1-1 tie back on September 3 with each team scoring their lone goals with a 20mph south wind advantage at Cougar Field.

The winner advances to the Region VI semifinals on Sunday, November 2, against the winner of seventh seeded Johnson County Community College at second seeded Coffeyville Community College held at the site of the highest remaining team.