Liberal’s Mata Wins Player of the Week at Barton

Liberal’s Mata becomes third Barton men’s soccer to receive weekly award
Hector Mata, former Liberal Redskin standout, recently was named the KJCCC Verizon Wireless Men’s Soccer Player of the Week. A freshman on the No. 12 nationally ranked Barton Community College men’s soccer team, Mata became the third different Cougar to win the award this year and entered the Barton record books with his performance on Sunday. Mata joins teammates Sam McCrillis and Mauricio Campos to receive the weekly award given by a conference committee.
Despite only playing one of the Cougars’ two games over the weekend, Mata made his presence felt on Sunday by entering the Barton record books as he was involved in five of Barton’s seven goals in the 7-1 victory at Independence Community College. The 6’1” midfielder scored three goals and two assists and placed his name in the Barton record book tying for fifth place on both single game goals and scoring. Mata scored two of his three goals in the first half which helped Barton get out to a 3-0 halftime advantage. Forty-eight seconds into the second half Mata set up teammate Vinicius Braga for a goal then was on the receiving end from Braga to get his third goal just twenty-two seconds later. Mata concluded his scoring by dishing out an assist two minutes later to Gonzalo Gelso as the Cougars had a 6-0 lead with forty-one minutes to play and thus put any hope of an Independence upset victory to rest as Barton won the contest 7-1.
The 8-1-1 Cougars will travel to Tonkawa, Oklahoma, on Wednesday for a 4:00 p.m. non-conference game against Northern Oklahoma College – Tonkawa. Barton returns to conference action Saturday for a key conference match with Cowley College. Game time is 8:00 p.m. at Great Bend High School.
More regarding Barton Men’s Soccer can be found online at www.BartonSports.com