Barton's Kaneko and Briger earn KJCCC weekly Volleyball honors #GoBarton

Mina Kaneko and Ori Briger of the now 5th ranked Barton Community College volleyball team have been selected for week two Division I honors distributed the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.

The duo helped lead the Cougars' demanding six-match week featuring its KJCCC opening victory at Butler, in addition to, then taking on four ranked opponents in three days which included statement victories over No. 8 Missouri State-West Plains and No. 11 New Mexico Military Institute to finish the week going 4-2.

Earning her second consecutive Defensive Player of the Week, Kaneko anchored the Cougars' back row racking up 104 digs across 20 sets to average 5.20 digs per set. Recording double-digit digs in five of six contests, the sophomore libero capped the stretch with a career best 29 digs in Barton's four-set win over NMMI with 23 against EAC after opening the week with 22 digs in the sweep at Butler.

Briger directed the first wave of Barton's 6-2 offensive attack to earn the Setter of the Week, compiling 100 assists across 20 sets, averaging 5.0 per set, while also contributing 36 digs, 10 service aces, and a .455 hitting efficiency on limited attempts. The freshman closed out the week with a 24-assist, 10-dig effort, leading Barton's four-set win over NMMI to post her 4th double-double of the season.

Most recently, the duo helped Barton to its second sweep of the early conference season by grinding out the victory at Hutchinson. Kaneko again led the backline with 19 digs, added in 5 assists, while Briger posted another double-double by putting up 16 assists along with 10 digs and two service aces.

The victory moves the Cougars to 9-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play to now turn its attention to a weekend trip to Texas for the Odessa Invitational. Barton opens play Friday against No. 13 Frank Phillips College at 11:00 a.m. before squaring off again with No. 14 New Mexico Military Institute at 3:00 p.m. in a rematch of last weekend's 3-1 Cougar victory in Dodge City. The Cougars then close the weekend Saturday with matches against Casper College at 9:00 a.m. and New Mexico Junior College, who is receiving votes in the latest poll, at 11:00 a.m.