5th ranked Cougars drop regular season finale to 18th ranked Johnson County; West Champions host post-season first round on Saturday #GoBarton

An eleven day layoff and a seemingly meaningless regular season finale sent the 5th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team to a 2-1 home defeat to 18th ranked Johnson County Community College.

The Cougars, who claimed the program's 12th Jayhawk West title, concludes conference play at 7-3-0 and 15-3-0. Johnson County, who needed a tie or victory against the Cougars to ensure a first round home playoff game, finishes in a first place tie of the East Division at 6-4 and 12-6 overall.

The top seed out of the West, Barton begins the post-season on Saturday at home in welcoming the East's 4th seed Kansas City Kansas Community College in an 11:00 a.m. kick-off at Cougar Field. The victor will then advance to the November 3rd semifinal round of the Region VI/Plains District Tournament held at Wichita's Stryker Sports Complex.

Diego Veit put Barton on the board first, striking a 19-yard free kick through traffic in the box to the far post for his second on the season.

Playing twenty-one players in the game, the Barton offense failed to rattle the nets the remaining sixty-eight minutes despite outshooting the Cavaliers 14-6 including 7-2 on between the pipes.

Unlucky for the Cougars, Johnson County's two frame busters were costly in defeat.

A nifty cross from Johan Hernandez set up the Cavaliers' first net shaker coming fourteen minutes left in the first half setting up Jacksyn McIntyre's eighth of the year.

Despite playing against the north wind in the first forty-five, Barton held a 7-4 shot advantage before putting four of their seven second half shots on frame but couldn't find the net.

Johnson County's lone shot of second half play resulted from a turnover and beat defender leaving McIntyre's cross finding Alan Lopez on the backside for his 11th of year in producing the game winner with 17:03 left in the contest.