The 9th ranked Barton Community College volleyball team followed its Thursday sweep over the country's 8th ranked team by splitting its remaining four-match weekend competing in the Victory Electric Classic in Dodge City.
On Friday, the Cougars split contests by dropping a 3-1 loss to No. 14 Eastern Arizona College (23-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-21) before bouncing back with straight set victory over Lee College (25-18, 25-13, 25-19).
Saturday's action began with a morning meeting with Miami Dade College as the No. 2 ranked team in the country dispatched the Cougars in straight sets ((25-21, 25-15, 25-19). Playing its fourth ranked opponent in three days, again Barton bounced back in the afternoon session to fight off No. 11 New Mexico Military Institute in four sets (25-17, 25-19, 22-25, 28-26).
The results leave Barton at 8-2 on the early season heading into Wednesday's 6:00 p.m. conference match at Hutchinson.
Weekend Leaders Caroliny Cristiny gave the Cougars consistency in the four matches, compiling 41 kills (2.93/set) on 117 attempts, hitting a solid .256 while also contributing 5 blocks and 12 digs.
Stasa Stamenkovic was the all-around workhorse taking a team-high 133 swings, finishing with 37 kills (2.64/set) while adding 41 digs (2.93/set) with 5 blocks and 5 service aces.
Aubrey Olander and Indigo Pruitt were efficient and effective from the middle, Olander recording 22 kills (1.57/set) on .316 hitting, while dominating defensively with 17 total blocks (1.21/set). Pruitt added 25 kills (1.79/set) on .327 efficiency and provided 13 total blocks (0.93/set).
Mina Kaneko anchored the back row with 71 digs (5.07/set), a career high 29 coming in the final match again NMMI.
Ori Briger led the first wave of Barton's 6-2 attack with 73 assists (5.21/set) and 29 digs (2.07/set). Janka Tolnai's two matches produced 32 assists (4.57/set) and 20 digs to record double-double efforts against EAC and Miami Dade.
Eastern Arizona SummaryBarton was held to a season low .137 attack efficiency with Cristiny doing most of the damage on a career high 18 kills on 46 swings. Pruitt provided an efficient spark in the middle, connecting for 9 kills on a .500 clip while adding a pair of blocks while Stamenkovic chipped in 8 kills, 3 service aces, and a team second best 18 digs.
Briger and Tolnai recorded 17 assists apiece, Briger adding 9 digs defensively with Tolnai recording the double-double effort by collecting 10 digs. Kaneko led the back row with 23 digs.
Lee College SummarySix Cougars recorded four or more kills as the offense was much more efficient in closing out Friday's action hitting at a .278 clip with Briger dishing out 16 assists and Mileah Neal adding 12.
Stamenkovic led with 8 kills on 20 swings for a .400 efficiency and added 13 digs from the defensive end. Cristiny was next with 7 kills, Olander was sharp by delivering 5 kills on 10 swings (.400) with three blocks, Paola Batista also with 5 kills on a .286 attack, and Pruitt and Brylynn Wicker each adding 4 kills.
Pruitt led the blocks with one solo and three assisted as Kaneko and Briger helped achor the back like with 8 digs each.
Miami Dade SummaryAs a team the Cougars hit just .150, Briger dishing out 16 assists with Tolnai adding a double-double 15 assists and 10 digs. Kaneko paced the back row with 11 digs.
Olander led with 7 kills on a blistering .636 efficiency while adding three block assists as Stamenkovic matched team high honors with the 7 kills but was held to .000 hitting on 36 swings. Cristiny contributed 6 kills with 5 digs, Pruitt posted 5 kills, and Batista finished with 4 kills and two block assists.
New Mexico Military Institute SummaryStamenkovic powered the attack with 14 kills on 42 swings (.262) and contributed to a fierce Barton defensive presence at the net with 4 blocks.
Additionally on the outside, Cristiny's 10 kills on .333 efficiency were joined by Batista's 6 court punishers.
In the middle, Olander and Pruitt contributed 7 kills each with 10 and 7 blocks respectively in being joined by Wicker's career high 5 blocks.
Barton closed out the busy weekend hitting .239 in its final match, Briger putting up 24 assists for her 4th double-double of the year with Neal recording 17 assists and 8 digs. Kaneko again anchored the back row with a career high 29 digs, Kailyn Follis contributed 7 and served up two of the Cougars' eight aces.