The No. 13 ranked Barton Community College volleyball team continued its roll to begin the 2026 slate with a trio of sweeps at the Victory Electric Classic in Dodge City.
Barton began the classic Friday morning with a sweep of Eastern Wyoming College (25-16, 25-16, 26-24) before returning Saturday for a pair of matches. The action began with a dominant early-morning victory over Lee College (25-17, 25-9, 25-19), then following a long wait, Barton dispatched Iowa Western Community College (25-18, 25-22, 25-21) to wind up the weekend.
The Cougars take their 7-0 unbeaten start into next weekend’s showcase of national powers at the Magic City Invitational in Miami, Florida. Barton opens play Friday with a noon tangle against national vote-getter Daytona State College before facing Eastern Florida State College at 3:00 p.m. Saturday’s competition ramps up considerably against the nation’s top two ranked teams, beginning with a noon matchup against No. 2 Florida SouthWestern State College before concluding the weekend at 3:00 p.m. against host and top-ranked Miami Dade College.
Weekend Leaders
Amanda Riepe paced the Barton attack with 31 kills across nine sets, averaging 3.44 per set while adding 33 digs (3.67) and five service aces. Riepe reached double-figure kills in the opening two matches, putting down 11 with a career high 13 digs against Eastern Wyoming before leading the Cougars with 12 kills against Lee.
Caroliny Cristiny followed with 28 kills and 32 digs, closing the weekend with an 11-kill, 15-dig double-double against Iowa Western. Paola Batista hit a team-best .306 with 16 kills while leading the Cougars with 12 blocks, with Mariam Urazbakhtina adding 19 kills and 10 blocks.
Natalia Malinowska-Nowak distributed 48 assists in two matches, while contributing 22 digs, 10 blocks and five service aces. Hotone Tarui added 33 assists and 34 digs, taking over the primary setting duties in the finale with 27 assists against Iowa Western, while Jaden Katsis led the back row with 37 digs.
Match-by-Match Leaders
vs. Eastern Wyoming: Riepe led the attack with her second double-double of the year, putting down 11 kills while adding 13 digs and three aces, with Cristiny contributing 10 kills. Urazbakhtina recorded eight kills on .375 hitting while Malinowska-Nowak added 19 assists, eight digs and six blocks in the sweep.
vs. Lee: Riepe again paced Barton with 12 kills while Brylynn Wicker delivered nine kills on .533 hitting with three blocks. Cristiny added seven kills, a match-high 14 digs and three aces, with Malinowska-Nowak distributing 29 assists.
vs. Iowa Western: Cristiny posted an 11-kill, 15-dig effort for her third double-double on .281 hitting while Riepe added eight kills and 12 digs. Batista put down six kills on .312 hitting with five blocks, Wicker added six kills on .308 hitting and three blocks, and Tarui distributed 27 assists.
