The Barton Community College women's soccer team's valiant effort Wednesday at the Cougar Soccer Complex came out on the short end of a 2-1 loss to No. 14 Hutchinson Community College. Behind two early second half goals, the Blue Dragons buried the first just twenty seconds into the second frame tacking on another eight minutes later in holding off the Cougars' late charge for the Jayhawk West victory. Barton drops to 2-2-0 in conference play with the loss and 3-4-1 on the season while Hutchinson remains unbeaten at the top at 5-0 and 9-1 on the season. The Cougars will embark in a three game road stretch beginning with a 2:00 p.m. kick at Pratt Community College.
Controlling the first half action behind a 10-20mph north wind launching eleven shots including five on frame, it took the Blue Dragons just twenty seconds against the wind to draw first blood. The Hutchinson game plan of chipping against the wind worked to perfection as Emilee Krehbeil's chip over the defensive back row found a sprinting Jazmin Hartshorn who punched it near post past Alexandra Capalbo.
Eight minutes later the Blue Dragons again executed the chip play, this time with Victoria Padilla dishing the deliver over the defense. Unlucky for the Cougars, the nation's leader in goals Jordan Downing was on the trek to chase it down sending a perfect strike across the box just inside the far post doubling the lead with 36:25 to play.
Outshot 19-7 in the contest and 5-2 on goal, the Cougars still had a fighting chance to tie the game with a bright spot goal coming just under fourteen minutes to play. Following a Hutchinson foul, Analia Torres' free kick from near thirty yards out nearly found the net if not for the leaping deflection from keeper Caroline Howard. Bouncing off the crossbar back into play, Shanai Jackson-Brown one-timed the rebound for her first collegiate goal to the top thirty cutting the deficit to one.
Barton would get another golden opportunity with less than four minutes to play as Jackson-Brown's strike from a Maddison Schofield cross was deflected by a Hutch defender in the box before reaching the frame.