Cougars power up in conference sweep at Butler #GoBarton

Success at the Power Plant escaped the Cougars the last two visits to El Dorado but Monday night the Barton Community College volleyball team made the trip a short one sweeping Butler Community College 25-19, 25-19, and 25-23.

Barton leapfrogs into the Jayhawk West's fourth spot of the standings improving to 4-2 and 9-8 overall back while Butler slides down to fifth at 4-3 and 10-8 on the season. The Cougars return to the eastern part of the state on Wednesday as Barton travels to Independence Community College for a 6:30 p.m. first serve.

Migle Mazurkeviciute's kill capping a 5-1 start forced an early Butler timeout but the Cougars continue to rattle off another five as Mackenzie Pease kept it rolling with an attack and block at the net. Rayanne de Oliveira's pair of attacks keyed another 5-0 run to push the lead out to 19-10 with Pease's kill eventually putting the final touches on the set.

A seven point run got the Grizzlies out to a 9-3 lead but Laine Alves and Oliveira kills capped by a Kate Deterding kill swung the momentum back with a four point spurt. Barton kept clawing back to grab a brief lead and following the set being tied at fifteen, Mazurkeviciute's court punisher along with a Pease stuff block and Alves' kill put Barton out front for good behind the five unanswered points.

The Grizzlies led through the mid-point of the third, building a four point advantage with the last coming at 16-12. Consecutive net plays by Oliveira sparked a Cougars' 4-0 run to tie it up as the teams would trade points all the way to 23-all before a pair of Butler miscues sealed Barton's sweep.