Trailing by one at the break, the Barton Community College women's soccer team struck for four second half goals Thursday at the Cougar Soccer Complex picking up a crucial Region VI victory 4-2 over Hesston College. The Lady Cougars were led by the hat trick of multi-sport athlete Maddison Schofield scoring three goals in less than fifteen minutes setting up another goal five minutes later before a late penalty kick by the Larks accounted for the final two goal margin. Avenging a three goal loss last month in Hesston, the Lady Cougars draw to within one of the Larks for second place in the region at 6-4 while improving to 7-5-1 on the year. Hesston falls to 7-3 with its second straight regional loss and 11-4 overall.
With just two regular season games left on the schedule, Barton is in position of an outside shot of moving up to the second seed and a first round home game for the region playoffs. The Lady Cougars begin their final week with a Wednesday trip to Dodge City Community College for a pivotal 5:00 p.m. game before a Saturday contest against Northwest Kansas Technical College to wrap up regular season play.
As in the first meeting between the two teams on September 23rd, Barton fell behind early as Mika Matsuda sent a thirty-five yard missile to goal but Alexandra Capalbo's attempt to deflect caromed into the net for the 1-0 lead.
Outshooting the Larks on frame 5-2 in first half action, Barton set itself up for additional scoring opportunities early in the second, with a prime chance to tie things up eight minutes in. Playing a rebounded shot uncleared in the box, Schofield was denied point blank by Lark net tender Cassidy Bontrager with the deflection kicking out to Megan Martinez. With a far post open for the shot, Martinez' attack was quickly swarmed up by two alert defenders protecting the back side to keep the net clean. Four minutes later the Lady Cougars' execution found Martinez for the tying goal but was waved off due to an offside call.
Behind a constant attack, Barton would eventually crack through and score in a flurry of nineteen minutes. Getting the ball from Adriana Reyes, Schofield back heeled the ball through a defender's legs before taking two steps launching a twenty-eight yard rocket far post over Bontrager for the tying goal with 26:28 remaining.
Showing off her leg range on the first goal, twelve minutes later Schofield displayed her range with a twelve yard header for her second goal. Rising up to meet Kirsty Ashworth's corner kick, Schofield not only was able to put enough strength behind the headed shot but accurately placed the ball sneaking inside the near post giving Barton the 2-1 lead with 14:34 on the clock.
Two minutes later the freshman from Australia would tack on her twelfth goal of the year and second hat trick of the season. Getting behind the defense following Analia Barreto-Torres' free kick from beyond midfield, Schofield just beat an onrushing Bontrager at the eighteen sending in a net punisher at the 12:08 mark for a 3-1 lead.
Schofield finished her seven point day setting up the final goal beginning with a tap pass to a sprinting Amber Miller down the right sideline. With one quick glance to the box, Miller sent in a perfect cross to Martinez and the fellow Garden City native chipped over Bontrager for her fifth of the season with 7:45 on the clock.
Matsuda would later score her second goal of the game for the Larks getting the advantage of a penalty kick sending it just beyond the reach of a diving Capalbo with just 2:18 remaining.
Barton finished with twenty-one shots in the contest with thirteen on frame while Hesston took eight shots in the contest, six coming from Matsuda including four of the Larks' five on target.