Saturday the 15th ranked Barton Community College women's soccer punched the program's first national tournament bid by advancing 5-4 in a shootout over 4th ranked Butler Community College
Winning the program's first Region VI and Plains District title, next up is a trip to Evans, Georgia, for the NJCAA Division I National Tournament held November 13-19. The Cougars, now 16-3-2, will most likely be joined by Butler at the tournament earning an at-large berth as the high ranking Grizzlies now stands at 18-2-2.
On a cold and breezy night at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, the West Champion Cougars and the East Champion Grizzlies went toe-to-toe throughout the evening, each scoring a goal in the two halves to force extra time.
Barton controlled most of the first golden goal including a pair of near misses but true to the evening's battle, Butler assumed most of the advantage in the second period in also just missing the space between the pipes.
The 110 minutes of gridlock sent the teams to the PK line with the top seeded Grizzlies having first opportunity.
Nia Baker picked up where she left from Thursday's Barton shootout advancement in the semifinals, rejecting the Grizzlies' Kim McAlpine with Nina Norshie, who put the Cougars up 2-1 in second half action, netted Barton's first tally.
Madeline Boman opened up round two with a score and was followed by net tender Kyrah Klumpp giving Butler even more inspiration. Rejecting not one but two of Ivanna Faria's shots after having to redo the first save due to leaving her line early, Klumpp redeemed herself coming up with an equally great save to the opposite post.
In round three the Grizzlies' Brooklyn Hunter put the Grizzlies up again but Aya Saiki answered on her attempt closing out the three rounds at 2 apiece.
Round four produced dual net shakers, Kenzee Godwin for the Grizzlies with Rin Sato connecting for the women in blue for the lead.
Tied into the final round, Brooke Sullivan's attempt sailed high of the crossbar leaving one more net shaker for Barton's advancement. Natalia Baltodano was next up in the fifth spot of the lineup, calmly getting into position before striking and finding the twine with the concluding tally sending the program to nationals for the first time in history.
Barton got on the board first in the 17th minute of the contest as Faria settled Norshie's pass just inside the eight to strike near post past a sprawling Klumpp for her 7th of the season.
Twelve minutes later the Grizzlies produced the equalizer from the back side of the eight with Yossi Villagrana putting away Joy Ngibuini's cross.
Butler held a slight first half shot advantage at 5-4 with each team sending two shots between the pipes.
Fifteen minutes into the second frame, Norshie provided a highlight chip shot over Klumpp from 15-yards out, racing past the Butler defense to finish off Saiki's dump into the eighteen for her 43rd of the year and taking over the second spot of the program's single season achievement.
Nine minutes later the nation's leading scorer nearly gave the Cougars a two-goal cushion on a near identical play from the opposite side of the box but the left footed shot sailed the crossbar.
A well executed play helped the Grizzlies tie it up six minutes later as Hunter's pin-point through ball reached Godwin breaking into the eighteen to beat Baker 1v1 to far post with 21:09 remaining.
Final statistics had the teams as close as the battle on the field, Butler leading 12-11 in shots with each goalie coming up with four saves.
Record Book Watch
Nina Norshie
43 Goals
- 2nd best single season, *Passed Rayssa Neres' 42 (2018), 15 from Shala Giardini's 58 (2009)
- 4th best career, *Passed Theresa Crane (2005-2006) and Rayssa Neres (2008-2009), 6 shy of Yesenia Garcia's 49 (2007-2008)
93 Points
- 3rd best single season, *8 shy of Rayssa Neres' 101 (2018)
- 7th best career, *8 shy of Rayssa Neres' 101 (2018)
Rin Sato
12 Assists
- Tied for 9th best single season, *Tied with Nataleigh Cliff's 12 (2008), 1 shy of Flavia Bernardes' 13 (2008)
- Tied for 11th best career, *Tied with Daniela Paez (2019-2020), Nataleigh Cliff (2008), and Sarah Whiteside (2007-2008), 3 shy of Mariana Poveda