Barton Volleyball sweeps season opener in Hesston #GoBarton

The Barton Community College volleyball team executed a pair of sweeps in their 2021 season opener Friday in Hesston, Kansas.

The Cougars began the Hesston triangular with a 25-16, 25-16, and 25-19 victory over Southeast Community College then concluded its day with a 25-7, 25-9, and 25-14 sweep over the host Larks of Hesston College.

The pair of matches served as a final tune-up before Barton jumps into the heat of Jayhawk Conference play as the Cougars host nationally third ranked Seward County Community College on Monday in a 6:30 p.m. first serve. Adhering to conference protocols, no spectators are allowed in the Barton Gym but the match can be viewed for free via the Barton Sports Network located at BartonSports.com.

Recap vs Southeast
Barton trailed 8-5 in the opening set before a pair of Tasiah Nunnery attacks sparked a 5-0 run pushing the Cougars on top for the eventual pull-away victory. In set two, Southeast led for the final time of the match at 6-5 but Jo LaForce provided the early Barton spark with a pair of kills powering Barton to another five point spurt to gain seperation. The Cougars never trailed in the final set, breaking a 5-all tie on a LaForce kill in keeping Southeast at bay for the rest of the match.

Maria Santos led seven players recording kills with twelve on twenty-one swings while defensively Carol Melo put up three blocks with Mylena Testoni and Hanna Miller recording sixteen and twelve digs respectively.

Recap vs Hesston
A pair of eight point unanswered stretches set the tone in the opening frame leading to a big victory. Trailing by three early in the second set, Nunnery's attack keyed a six point deficit eraser with Addison Crites' pair of attacks leading a 5-0 run helping Barton double up the Larks at 13-6 in cruising to the fifteen point win. The Cougars never trailed in the third by methodically widening the gap by stringing together multiple three or four point swings.

Nunnery, Testoni, and Melo tied for team high kill honors with six each, Melo leading the block party again with three, while Miller and Nunnery each recorded ten digs.