Barton Volleyball sweeps non-conference games

The Barton Community College volleyball team stepped out of conference play Saturday picking up a pair of wins Saturday in Hesston, Kansas.  The Cougars began the day with a straight set victory over the junior varsity squad from Friends University 25-17, 25-16, and 25-13 before wrapping the day with a victory over host Hesston College 25-23, 25-15, 23-25, and 25-16.  The victories improve Barton to 19-5 on the season heading into Monday night's 6:30 p.m. match versus Dodge City Community College.   The evening is being designated "Dig Pink" night as the Cougars and Conquistadors will wear pink uniforms signifying the start of "Breast Cancer Awareness" month.

The second wave of Cougars played the first match Saturday picking up the straight set sweep.  Hitting .307 as a team, Michaela Jellison led with a .769 attack with a season high ten kills on thirteen swings while pacing the Cougars on the defensive end with nine digs to just miss out on the Protection, Kansas, freshman's first career double-double.  Shayde LeClair and Hannah Beam each contributed six kills and a combined five blocks.  Leah Fisher led with fourteen assists with Jeri Garcia and Kassi Gratton each with seven.  Gratton also led a fifteen service ace attack with seven while finishing with a team second best eight digs.

Playing consecutive matches, the normal starting group of Cougars led the way in the four-set victory over the host Larks.  Monique Oliveira led the .311 team attack with fifteen kills on thirty-two swings with Nathalia Gouveia close behind with fourteen and Olivia Naccarato also reaching double figures with eleven kills.  Lydia Konrade led the back row with eighteen digs with Oliveira picking up her ninth double-double of the season with eleven digs.  Carolina Goncalves put up forty-two assists and three points coming via the service line.