It was the biggest home games in several years for the Barton women’s soccer team. In fact, it just may have been the biggest since the Cougars moved from the grass field at the bottom of the hill to the turf on the hill.

The final home game of the season. Nationally ranked just this week. A win and the Jayhawk West title belonged to Barton.

Unfortunately, the result wasn’t what the home team wanted.

Cloud County, at the very least, put on hold Barton’s hopes for a West title with a 5-0 win over the Cougars at the Barton Sports Complex.

It is the Thunderbirds now in the driver’s seat in the West. Cloud overtook Barton in the West standings with the win. Cloud is now 12-1 in the West with 36 points while Barton drops to 11-1-1 with 34 points.

The only hope for a title now is for Hutchinson to beat Cloud in the regular season finale while Barton wins at Northwest Tech. If Barton wins and the T-Birds and Blue Dragons tie, Barton would share the title.

That is possible. Hutch is currently third in the West at 8-2-1. The Blue Dragons have a loss to both Barton and Cloud and a tie with Barton. Northwest Tech is 3-9. Both of those matches will take place Saturday.

As far as the match itself against Cloud, it was somewhat closer than the final score might indicate.

Cloud got on the board 13:42 into the contest when Barton was whistled for a foul in the box. Franciele Cupertino buried the ensuing penalty kick to give Cloud a 1-0 lead.

The Thunderbirds made it 2-0 when Barton failed to clear a corner kick. Fernanda Peinado made them pay with a goal 27:41 into the game.

The scored stayed that way until the final 20 minutes of the match. Cloud scored three times in the final 20:38 for the 5-goal win.

It was the first time this year Barton was shutout and just the fourth time in 16 games the Cougars haven’t scored at least three goals.

Now the Cougars will do what they can to keep their hopes alive for West title in Goodland Saturday. The match will kick at 2 pm. At that same time, Cloud will be in Hutchinson where the Cougars will Blue Dragon fans.

Cloud 5, 19 Barton 0

Cloud 2 3 – 5

Pratt   0 0 – 0

Cloud – Cupertino (PK), 13:42

Cloud – Peinado, 27:41

Cloud – Mendoza, 69:22

Cloud – Mendoza, (Cupertino) 75:38

Cloud – Nieto, 85:17