Shun Imai of the No. 6 ranked Barton men's soccer team has been named the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division I Offensive Player of the Week following his three-point performance in the Cougars' lone match last week.
The freshman had a hand in a pair of go-ahead goals, including delivering the game-winner in the final minute as Barton outlasted Seward County 5-4.
Imai first distributed the assist on Masaki Tsuji's goal just 2:05 into second-half play, putting the Cougars back in front 2-1.
With the contest later deadlocked at 4-4 and time winding down, Barton found one final answer. Kotaro Kimura slipped a thru ball across the box to Imai on the backside, with the freshman burying the opportunity with just 50 seconds remaining to deliver the dramatic 5-4 victory.
The honor is the first of Imai's collegiate career and Barton's fourth KJCCC weekly award of the season. Goalkeeper Pedro Lisboa has earned the other three, collecting the conference honor in Weeks 1, 2 and 5, with his Week 2 performance additionally earning NJCAA Division I Goalkeeper of the Week honors.
Imai continued his impact Wednesday afternoon as the sixth-ranked Cougars picked up a 1-0 road victory at No. 3 Cowley in Arkansas City. Imai distributed his third assist of the season on Haru Nakano's game-winner with 37:06 remaining.
Barton returns home next Wednesday for another top-five matchup, hosting No. 5 Garden City in a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.