13th ranked Barton women own final half to knock off 12th ranked Cowley #GoBarton

The 13th ranked Barton Community College women's soccer rallied from a two goal second half deficit Wednesday afternoon by owning most of the final forty-five minutes for a 5-3 victory knocking off 12^th ranked Cowley College.

Barton stays unbeaten in conference play improving to 4-0 and 8-1 on the year while the Tigers drop to 0-2 in league and 3-2 on the season.  The Cougars' next conference test comes Saturday in a 1:00 p.m. kick at Neosho County Community College.

Despite being outshot but enjoying a first half 25-35mph south wind advantage, Cowley put two on the board, the first coming 21:29 into the contest with another one just five minutes later.

With the exception of giving up a second half goal, the Cougars controlled most of the second half, officially starting 7:24 into the second frame as the Tigers were whistled for a hand ball inside the box setting up a penalty kick.  Sofia Morales helped create the opportunity with a perfectly placed through ball to Nina Norshie to set up a 1v1 with the Tiger keeper Kanon Dehama.  Gettting a shot off, the deflection resulted in a hand ball off a Tiger defender sending the nation's leading scorer to the penalty stripe for the conversion.

The momentum was shot lived as four minutes later Lea Evin drove around the Barton defense to the baseline in delivering a through ball to the center of the box with Pauline Gockeritz sending a rocket through three Cougar defenders pushing the lead back out to two.

Eleven minutes later, Norshie struck twice in less than two minutes to tie it up.  Aya Saiki's stolen pass then delivering a through ball set up the first goal as Norshie beat the unrushing keeper to cut the deficit in half.   A long pass from the defensive quarter from Hinata Kojima created the next opportunity as the first touch was headed off a Cowley defender with Ivana Faria winning the second ball on a header towards Norshie.  Catching the pass at mid-waist, Norshie placed a half volley far post for the 69:31 deadlocked.

Outshooting the Tigers 13- 3 in second half play, the Cougars seized all the momentum and less than three minutes later grabbed the lead on an incredible long range shot.  Following a Tiger foul, defenseman Hinata Kojima placed the ball on the turf 45-yards from frame then launched a top shelf net shaker for her second of the season just over the reach of Dehama.

Defense again led to offense three minutes later resulting in Norshie converting the insurance goal to cap off her four goal birthday and move into the 4^th spot of single season program history.  With the Cougars playing the ball back to goal, keeper Nia Baker sent the pass back past the midfield where Saiki's rise-n-shine header continued the ball toward goal as Norshie outran the Tiger defense to chip her 29^th goal of the season to far post for a 5-3 lead with 14:43 to play.

Baker's first collegiate assist from goal and the defense held firm the rest of the clock, ending the day with one save but allowing just six shots as the Cougars ended with 18 total.

Barton Scoring:
52:44: Nina Norshie (26) *Penalty Kick
67:51: Nina Norshie (27); Assist: Aya Saiki (6)
69:31: Nina Norshie (28); Assist: Ivanna Faria (4)
72:04: Hinata Kojima (2)
75:17: Nina Norshie (29); Assists: Aya Saiki (7), Nia Baker (1)

Record Book Watch
Nina Norshie
29 Goals

• 4^th best single season *2 from Bianca Barron (2012) and Yesenia Garcia (2008)
• 9^th best career *1 from Flavia Bernardes (2008-2009)

53 Points

• 7^th best single season *3 from Laura Maria (2018)
• 10^th best career *Tied with Danielle Saucedo (2010), 3 from Laura Maria (2018)