For more information contact Coach Oliver Twelvetrees, 620-792-9397 or Barton Sports Information Director Mike Marzolf, 620-792-9310
November 7, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release by Mike Marzolf
Highlight Clip Plains District Champions
The Barton Community College men's soccer team sent Cougar Fields out with a bang. In the final game played at Barton’s home field for the past 9 seasons, the Cougars scored with 15 seconds to play to send Barton to the NJCAA National Championship tournament with a 2-1 win over Western Texas Saturday afternoon. Italo Arcelino put in a loose ball off a long free kick in the waning seconds sending the Barton bench and largest crowd ever at the pitch into a frenzy. It was the only time the entire contest that Barton had a lead. The Cougars will now take their 19-3-1 record and 18-game winning streak to Tyler, Texas and Barton’s 2nd straight NJCAA Championship tournament. It is the 3rd in school history.
Highlights
The final game to be played at Cougar Fields was not only the most important on the grass field but also one of the most exciting. After a scoreless opening half with a combined 3 shots on goal, the 2nd 45 minutes was a flurry of action. The only big moment in the opening half came when Western Texas was awarded a penalty kick, which sailed over the goal.
Western Texas took the lead just 2:29 into the 2nd half when Billy Forbes scored on a pass from Samuel Haynes. Forbes dribbled by the Barton keeper then hit the ball into an open net for the lead. Barton appeared to have tied the contest on a three occasions only to remain down 1-0. The 1st came when the Western Texas keeper bobbled and the Cougars felt that bobble crossed the goal line. Barton had two more goals taken off the board by an offsides and a penalty.
Things really looked bleak when Barton’s Ricardo Yeverino received his 2nd yellow card of the game after Barton’s 2nd goal was wiped out. That came with just more than 20 minutes to play in the game and meant Yeverino was given a red card for his 2nd yellow violation, forcing Barton to play a man down the final 23 minutes.
The Cougars still continued to press the offensive end with the wind at its back and with just less than 7 minutes to play in the game caught the break they needed. Following a foul by the Westerners, Barton sophomore defender Adrian Alvarez set up for a free kick from about 40 yards out near the right sideline. His kick sailed toward the Western Texas goal and with the 20 mph wind helping it floated all the way to net and over the outstretched arms of the Westerners keeper into the net to tie the contest with 6:24 to play.
That is where the game stayed until the final minute. With both teams now looking at overtime another foul was whistled on the Westerners. This time Barton’s Adrian Lockett took the free kick about 10 yards on Barton’s side of midfield. He sent the ball flying toward the Western Texas goal, where it bounced around loose until Arcelino was able to flick it into the net and send the crowd of nearly 400 into celebration.
Barton put 9 shots on goal to just 5 for the Westerners but following the red card and down 1-0 was on the brink of elimination in the post season until the two Barton defenders scored goals in the win. For Alvarez it was his 2nd goal of his career. It was the 5th for Arcelino.
Barton will await to see who the Cougars will play at the NJCAA National Tournament. Barton will be seeking its first win at the NJCAA after going 0-2 the first two times it has been to the event. Barton should be among the top four seeds at the tournament.
Stats
Stats can be found at
www.bartonsports.com
Next
Nov 18 – v TBD TBD (NJCAA National Championships at Tyler, Texas)
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Check out Barton Soccer Online at www.bartonsports.com
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