Jun 19, 2021

Barton women's soccer lands eight on KJCCC All-West squad

Posted Jun 19, 2021 1:54 PM
Barton Athletics
Barton Athletics

Eight members of the Barton Community College women's soccer team earned KJCCC West Division I All-Conference honors including landing three on the first team.

The selections helped lead Barton to a 9-3-1 West second place, knocking off 10th ranked and national qualifier KCK in the playoffs, to an eventual Region VI/Plains District Championship game loss to conclude the season at 13-4-1

A pair of sophomores and a freshman landed on the first team selections in Kadin Stinson, Mercy Azanapo, and Seulgi Lee.

Stinson led the front end of the Barton offensive attack, rattling the net 13 times for a conference best and 10th overall ranking in the NJCAA. Recording four multi-goal games including a hat-trick in the Cougars' third game of the season hosting Southeast Community College, the Emporia, Kansas, sophomore was a constant threat to opposing defenses with 94 shots launched on the year while adding an assist to finish third in the conference with 27 total points. Stinson was the KJCCC's Player of the Week in week three of the early season scoring a pair of goals including netting the game winner in each of Barton's contests.

Azanapo, a sophomore from Accra, Ghana, earned midfield honors for the second consecutive season and was joined by Seoul, South Korea, freshman Seulgi Lee's defensive recognition. The duo covered most of the field helping fuel Barton's top rated West offense and the 2nd stingiest defense.

Usually assigned to keeping the opponent's main scoring threat in check, Azanapo helped the Cougars limit opponents to just 15 goals in the conference season and 19 overall including six shutouts throughout the season.

Lee was also a big part of the defensive effort but contributed equally on the offensive end. Barton's main free-kick launcher, Lee found the net four times including a rise-n-shine header in the Region VI/Plains District semifinals helping Barton to a 2-1 upset over 10th ranked KCK. Lee also distributed a team second best 8 assists, five coming within Barton's seven unbeaten streak to begin the season and two coming on a five-point performance in victory over Garden City.

Sophomore Daniela Paez, who led the West and ranked 4th nationally with 11 assists, is joined by four freshmen on the second team selections, forward Annika Gerdau, midfielder Francesca Martella, defender Silvia Cinque, and goalkeeper Nia Baker.

Gerdau earned Week 6 Player of the Week honors providing the game winner over Dodge City, scoring a goal, and dishing out an assist in a 4-0 blanking at Butler.

Baker won a pair of national goalkeeper of the week, to go along with, three weekly honors protecting the net. The native of Wichita, Kansas, posted four shutouts while teaming with backup Maria Gutierrez for another in Barton's win at Butler. The victory would be the last in net for the freshman as a season ending sickness left the Cougars without her services for the final five games.