Cougars move into the driver's seat with 3-1 win at Garden City #GoBarton

The Barton Community College men's soccer team set the tone early in netting a pair of first half goals Wednesday evening at Broncbuster Stadium in earning a 3-1 road victory over Garden City Community College.

Sweeping the season series for the ninth straight year, the Cougars remain in the driver's seat for the second spot in the conference standings at 6-4-1 and move to 10-6-2 overall while the Broncbusters slide to 2-7-2 in league play and 7-7-3 on the season.

Barton will remain on the road to wrap up the regular season Saturday afternoon in a 4:00 p.m. kickoff against the Saints of Seward County Community College before opening postseason play next Saturday in hosting the first round of the Region 6/Plains District Tournament.

Smooth passing throughout the night generated the trio of Cougar goals with the opening net shaker coming with 31:11 remaining in the opening half. Sophomore Nils Knecht dialed up his first collegiate goal firing a 13-yard missile through the wickets of Garden City's goalkeeper Axcel Padilla off Isoumail Camara's directed head pass created behind Diogo Giminez cross into the box.

7:47 ensuing Giminez created his second distribution of the night placing a perfectly placed cross inside the box finding Hugo Pacheco for a left footed far post strike building the lead to 2-0 at halftime.

Remaining in control throughout the second half, Camara added an extra insurance goal with 9:03 remaining sneaking a sliding right footed shot attempt from 12-yards out just inside the far post, produced by Diego Pereira's one touch through ball received behind Gonzalo Bassa's loose ball find.

1:52 from posting their sixth shutout of the season, Garden City's Jorge Arevalo struck twine behind a 23-yard laser on the receiving end of Gabriel Bergamin's punchout dampening the Cougars clean sheet bid.

Bergamin was solid in net denying five of six shot attempts faced while improving to 6-4-1 between the pipes.