The Barton Community College volleyball team opened its' weekend swing Friday in Torrington Wyoming dropping a pair of matches at the Wyo-Braska Tournament. 

A shorthanded Cougar squad struggled in the opener falling in straight sets to Northeastern Junior College (23-25,15 -25, 23-25) before dropping the nightcap match to host school Eastern Wyoming College in four sets (18-25, 14-25, 25-12, 18-25).

Looking for revenge after being knocked out of the NJCAA Tournament a season ago to Northeastern Junior College, the Cougars held a narrow 22-21 edge late in the opener before a Plainswoman timeout swung all momentum as Northeastern took the opener 25-23 claiming the final three tallies and four of the final five. In the second set Barton dug an early hole as the Plainswomen controlled the action from start to finish taking a 2-0 match lead with a 25-15 victory. Much like the opening set the Cougars maintained the lead and momentum before Northeastern climbed back with another late rally to win 25-23

Facing an 0-2 uphill climb against host Eastern Wyoming, the Cougars fought back in the third set firing out of the gates with five of the opening seven points. A 4-0 run midway stretched the Barton advantage to 16-9 before the Cougars claimed nine of the final 12 points extending the match to a fourth set 25-12. Unfortunately, in the fourth set a three-point Lancer stretch at the halfway mark opened things up as Barton would cut the gap to four at 20-16 before Eastern Wyoming closed the match with a 25-18 victory.

Now 12-8 on the season, Barton will return to the court Saturday to conclude the Wyo-Braska Tournament with a 10:00 a.m. first serve against Colorado Northwestern College.