Jessica Simental and Rayssa Neres each had a hat trick Saturday in Pratt as the Barton Community College women's soccer team rolled to a 7-0 win at Pratt Community College for their eleventh straight victory.
The Cougars improve to 11-0-1 in conference play and 12-2-1 on the year while Pratt drops to 3-8-0 and 5-9-0 on the year. The victory also sets up a potential conference title showdown on Wednesday as second place Cloud County Community College comes to the Cougar Soccer Complex in a 2:00 p.m. kick-off. With just two games remaining in the regular season, the Jayhawk West title opportunity will be on the line for both squads receiving national votes in the latest NJCAA poll as the T-birds will be looking to avenge Barton's 5-1 win earlier in Concordia.
Barton led 3-0 at the half before doubling up the lead on Simental's trio of goals in less than six minutes midway through the final frame. Fellow two-year Cougar Larissa Fagundes set up the first with 29:35 remaining with Simental delivering just her second goal of the season bu drilling upper-90 near post. Three minutes later defender Alexsandra Fernandez began a fast break delivering the ball to Ariadna Ramirez whose through ball hit Simental in stride past the defense in chipping the ball over the Pratt goalkeeper to post her first multi-goal collegiate game. Little less than three minutes, the El Paso, Texas, native chalked up another collegiate first, again receiving a pinpoint pass from Ramirez to strike lower post exploding the lead to 6-0 with 23:47 left.
Continuing her assault on the program's single season performance chart, it took Neres just 2:15 to score her first of three goals on the day as the three-time KJCCC player of the week outraced the Pratt defense to catch up with goalkeeper Priscilla Munoz' kick from goal to drill far post on the 1v1 situation. The result pushed Neres' single season total to a then-81 points to break free from Yesenia Garcia's 2008 feat in moving into sole possession of the second most points in a single season.
Ten minutes later Neres and Laura Maria put on a clinic of passing and finishing with Neres delivering her 14th assist of the year sending a through ball with Maria's finish to the far post recording her 18th goal of the freshman's season. The duo teamed up again with four minutes remaining before the halftime break executing a two-man game off an inbounds throw in with Maria returning the favor resulting in her 17th assist of the year as Neres hammered the net for her 35th net rattler.
Neres closed out the day's scoring with 1:27 to play by finishing off a perfect headed pass from Fagundes to give the Brazilian sophomore her 13th assist of the season. The goal gave Barton two hat trick scorers in the game, the third time in the season the Cougars have accomplished the feat.
For the season Neres trails only Shala Giardini's top mark in goals and points, with Neres at 36 goals and 87 points while Giardini's 2009 top spot stands at 58 net shakers and 125 total points.
Maria's assist draws within one of Theresa Crane's 2008 total of 18 for the fourth best single season performance with the three points earned upping her season total to 53 in surpassing Nataleigh Cliff's 2008 total into the 8th slot and four behind the 2009 effort of Flavia Bernandes.
Barton Scoring:
2:15 - Rayssa Neres (34), Assist Priscilla Munoz (1)
17:00 - Laura Maria (18), Assist Rayssa Neres (14)
44:00 – Rayssa Neres (35), Assist Laura Maria (17)
60:25 – Jessica Simental (2), Assist Larissa Fagundes (12)
63:24 – Jessica Simental (3), Assists Ariadna Ramirez (4) and Alexsandra Fernandes (1)
66:13 – Jessica Simental (4), Assists Ariadna Ramirez (5)
88:33 – Rayssa Neres (36), Assist Larissa Fagundes (13)