One shouldn't judge a book by its cover nor necessarily judge a team by its first set of play as the Barton Community College volleyball team appeared headed for a couple of day one losses in Odessa, Texas, but instead rallied for a pair of victories. Now 11-3 on the season, Barton will wrap up play Saturday in the Odessa College Tournament beginning the morning with an 11:00 a.m. match versus Cedar Valley College before capping the four-match weekend at 3:00 p.m. against New Mexico Military Institute.
Having already defeated Lamar Community College two weeks ago in the Lopes' own tournament, Barton repeated their rematch by again dropping the first set by a 25-22 score behind a dismal .095 attack. However, behind the play of Olivia Naccarato in the middle of the floor, the Mulvane sophomore's .448 attack led the Cougars' improvement throughout the match taking the next sets 25-20 and 25-23 before putting it away with a 25-12 devastation.
Naccarato and Nathalia Gouveia led the Cougars with fifteen kills each with Naccarato owning the net with nine blocks. Monique Oliveira posted her fifth double-double of the season knocking down eleven to go along with a team high twenty digs.
Returning to the floor four hours later, the Cougars were atrocious in the first set versus Vernon College with a -.105 attack and ten errors getting blasted 25-13. Barton then began to crank up the offensive engine and defensive focus committing just nine combined errors the following three sets winning 25-18, 25-12, and 25-20.
As in the first match with Naccarato, this time it was the second wave of middle attack from Averie Warehime who helped get the Cougars rolling hitting .583 with eight kills for the match and five blocks. Gouveia and Oliveira picked up their normal double digit kills getting fourteen each with Oliveira posting another double-double recording thirteen digs. Kassi Gratton led with thirteen digs with Carolina Goncalves getting ten while dishing out forty-assists giving the Brazilian freshman her second double-double of the year.