Lady Cougars shake off slow start to snap streak with 61-50 victory at Colby

The Barton Community College women's basketball team shook off a slow start Wednesday to snap a four game losing streak defeating host Colby Community College 61-50 at the Community Building.  Responding to an early 9-0 run by the Lady Trojans, Barton scored the next seventeen to lead by ten at intermission.  Carrying the momentum into the second half Barton rattled off seven points in the first five minutes increasing the lead out to seventeen.  The win wouldn't come easy for the Lady Cougars as Colby cut the deficit to five points late but 4-of-4 free throws down the stretch sealed the victory.  Barton improves to 2-4 in Jayhawk Conference play and 12-6 overall while Colby slips to 3-4 and 10-10 on the season.  The Lady Cougars return to the Barton Gym on Saturday for a 5:30 p.m. tip against Pratt Community College.

"We made things interesting," said Barton Women's Head Coach Carter Kruger. "We'll take it but we need to get better."

Despite a season high twenty eight turnovers, Barton owned the glass with sixteen board 56-40 advantage with three Lady Cougars grabbing eight or more rebounds.  The Lady Cougars also struggled from the field at 30% but held Colby to a mere 25%.

"Katrina Roenfeldt played great defensively and led our strong defensive effort," Kruger said. "Ciera Lampe hitting the three late in the game helped us gain separation and allowed us to relax a little in the last minutes to be able to execute."

Phikala Anthony led three Lady Cougars in double digit scoring with nineteen points in part to 9-of-10 from the charity stripe while hauling down eight rebounds and dishing out five dimes.  Knocking down 3-of-6 beyond the arc, Lampe posted a new career high with fifteen points.  Indiah Cauley also recorded a career high grabbing fourteen rebounds and adding ten points for her first career double-double.  Katrina Roenfeldt also added a solid game with nine rebounds and seven points including two free throws to ice the game for the Lady Cougars.

Colby had three players in double figures led but the twelve point efforts by Jada Grady and Deandra Williams.  Amanda Miller added eleven points just missing a double-double with a team high nine rebounds while DJ Cato led the Lady Trojans with three assists.

Saturday's game will be followed by an on-court recognition of three inductees into Barton Community College's Sports Hall of Fame.  The 2015 Class of Gene Butler, Jeff Christy, and Pete Manely will be inducted earlier in the day at a 3:00 p.m. ceremony in the Kirkman Activity Center located on the Barton Campus.  Induction ceremony is free and open to the public with attendance also encouraged in honoring the inductees at the on-court recognition.

Butler and Christy are former players for the Cougars, Butler a member of the 1990-92 men's basketball teams while Christy was on the 2002-04 baseball teams.  Manely will carry the distinction into the Hall as the first student-athletic trainer to receive the honor.