The 6th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team jumped out to a three goal halftime lead Friday afternoon before settling for a 4-2 home victory over the reserve squad of Sterling College.
Closing out non-conference play, the Cougars improve to 14-3-0 heading into their regular season finale that comes 10-days from now in hosting 11th ranked Johnson County Community College in a 1:00 p.m. kickoff from the Cougar Soccer Complex.
14:38 in Samuel Joerg carried in a loose ball from mid-field placing a flawless ball between the Warrior defensive line setting up Yuki Minari's third tally of the season with a backside 1-v-1 far post chip over the outstretched right hand of Sterling keeper Lewis Cross giving Barton the 1-0 advantage.
Nearly 4-minutes later Arthur Seelig-Orth doubled the Cougar advantage scheming a move on the Sterling defender forming a perfectly shaped upper-90 far post rocket from 22-yards outside the left side of the 18' for his first tally of the season.
The Warriors trimmed the deficit in half 5:16 later as an initial shot fought off by Victor Goscinski's hands fashioned a backside Daniel Stone empty net boot.
Barton would close the first half scoring with just 4:50 left, as Calixtro Gutierrez produced his fifth goal of the season hammering home a far post 1-v-1 dart from just outside the 6' created off Arthur Prado's one touch through ball.
Wasting little time the Cougars stretched the advantage to 4-1 just 6:01 into the second half as Orth's left side cross unable to be cleared out by the Warrior defense found the unmarked left foot of Victor Lucca for a straight on centering kick for his fourth of the season.
Sterling settled the margin at 4-2 late as another swatted out save by Gutierrez resulted in a Ruben Guzman put back finish.
Barton outshot its' opposition 21-15 while holding a slim 10-9 edge in blasts on frame.
Gutierrez was solid in net stopping seven of the nine shots faced improving his season mark to 3-0-0 on the year.
Barton Scoring
14:48: Yuki Minari (3); Assist: Samuel Joerg (2)
18:40: Arthur Seelig-Orth (1)
40:10: Calixtro Gutierrez (5); Assist: Arthur Prado (1)
51:01: Victor Lucca (4); Assist: Arthur Seelig-Orth (1)