In a top-six showdown that lived up to expectations, the No. 4 Barton Community College men’s soccer team battled No. 6 Cowley College to a 3-3 draw Saturday afternoon at the Cougar Soccer Complex, concluding Jayhawk Conference play.
With three separate leads erased throughout the afternoon and Barton rallying twice from second-half deficits, Masaki Tsuji made history with a two-goal performance, surpassing Kevin Ellis (2009-10) to become the program’s all-time career goals leader with 35.
With its 13th Jayhawk Conference title already secured, Saturday’s draw moved the Cougars to 16-1-1 overall as they concluded league play with an 8-1-1 mark, while the Tigers moved to 9-1-4 on the season finishing runner-up in the conference standings at 6-1-3.
Barton is tentatively scheduled to conclude the regular season Monday with a 3:00 p.m. home matchup against the reserved squad of Sterling College before opening the Region 6/Plains District Playoffs next weekend as the No. 1 overall seed.
The Cougars struck first just over 15 minutes into the contest after Tsuji forced a turnover against the Cowley goalkeeper, who pulled him down inside the box resulting in a red card and leaving the Tigers a man down for the remaining 74:52 of play. Tsuji converted the ensuing penalty kick for his 18th goal of the season, tying Kevin Ellis (2009-10) for the program’s all-time career goals record at 34.
Despite playing with the wind at their backs and holding a man advantage, the Cougars were unable to build on their early lead as Cowley pulled even with 13:58 remaining in the opening half. Yushin Nakano’s free kick into the box found an unmarked Arnau Vinas Lopez for a header to the far post, leveling the contest at 1-1 heading into halftime.
With the wind now at its back, Cowley wasted little time taking its first lead of the afternoon, moving ahead 2-1 just under eight minutes into the second half. Sho Shirakawa finished off a sequence involving Arnau Vinas Lopez and Taira Horiuchi to put the Tigers in front.
The Cougars answered just 1:43 later as Tsuji drew another foul this time from 25 yards from goal before shaping the ensuing free kick into the wind and the upper left corner to knot things at 2-2. The sophomore’s second goal of the afternoon and 19th of the season marked his 35th career tally, moving him past Kevin Ellis (2009-10) for the most goals in program history.
Unable to clear the ball out of their defensive end, Barton conceded three consecutive corner kicks, with Shuto Sasaki’s delivery on the third resulting in an own goal to push the Tigers back in front, 3-2, with 23:36 remaining.
Just 5:25 later, the Cougars drew even for the second time in the half as Rafael Calmon‘s corner kick was punched away by the Cowley goalkeeper, with Yuta Endo in position in front of the net to put away the loose ball for his third goal of the season, leveling the contest at 3-3 with 18:11 remaining.
Neither side found the back of the net over the final 18 minutes as Barton and Cowley settled for the 3-3 draw.
By the Numbers:
The Cougars held a 20-7 advantage in total shots, including a 9-6 edge in shots on frame. Barton outshot Cowley 11-1 in the opening half before the Tigers held a 9-6 deficit in second-half attempts.
Between the pipes, Pedro Lisboa finished with three saves across 90 minutes of action to move to 14-1-1 on the season.
Game Notes:
– Barton leads the all-time series 16-10-3
– Barton is 9-1-3 against Cowley in Great Bend
– Barton claimed the season series, 1-0-1
– All three draws in the series have come in Great Bend
– Fifth straight meeting with both teams nationally ranked
– 17th straight meeting with at least one team nationally ranked
Record Book Watch:
Masaki Tsuji
– 1st: Most Goals Scored in Career (35); Passed Kevin Ellis 34 (2009-2010)
– 2nd: Most Points in Career (83); 6 away from 1st Sam McCrillis 89 (2010, 2012)
– T-6th: Most Assists in Career (13); 5 away from 5th Renan Sousa (2014-2015) 18
– T-7th: Most Goals Scored in Single Season (19), 1 away from 3rd Gabriel Arraes
– T-7th: Most Points in Single Season (46); 2 away from 6th Sam McCrillis 48 (2010)
(2018), Bruno Conceicao (2005), Desmond Yankey (2005), Marcelo Carminatti (2008) 20
Rafael Calmon
– 11th: Most Goals Scored in Career (23); 1 away from 10th Leandro Reis (2008-09) & Desmond Yankey (2004-05) 24
– 12th: Most Points in Career (57); 3 away from 11th Renan Sousa (2014-2015) 60
BARTON SCORING SUMMARY
15:08: Masaki Tsuji (18)
54:35: Masaki Tsuji (19)
71:49: Yuta Endo (3); Assist: Rafael Calmon (6)
