Great Bend, KS – The 12th ranked Indian Hills Men's Soccer team suffered its first loss of the season on Friday as the Warriors fell to No. 11 nationally ranked Barton Community College (KS) 3-1. The Warriors drop to 3-1-2 on the year.
The Warriors struck first as Fernando Pirri (Cordoba, Spain/IES Francisco de los Rios) netted a goal in the 50th minute, but the Cougars rattled off three goals in a 22-minute span to close out the game and hand the Warriors their first loss of 2023. Barton, ranked No. 11 in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Men's Soccer polls, moves to 4-0-1 on the year after the first all-time meeting between the clubs.
Despite the loss, the Warriors outshot the host team 13-8, including 9-7 edge in the final 45 minutes of play.
Pirri's goal, his team-high third of the season, came at the 49:22 mark of the second half after a scoreless opening period between the sides. The freshman forward received a long cross from the left sideline off the foot of Thomas Murrieri (Dijon, France/Lycée Les Arcades) and finished on a one-touch. Freshman Daniel Mulero (Asturias, Spain/Salesianos Santo Angel Aviles) was also credited with an assist on the play.
The Warriors held the advantage for 13 minutes before the Cougars scored at the 62:28 mark. Barton followed up with a goal just under five minutes later to take the lead. The Cougars added an insurance goal in the 85th minute while holding the Warriors scoreless.
Indian Hills will close out the Barton Classic on Sunday against Otero Junior College (CO). Originally scheduled for a later start, Sunday's match will now begin at 11:00 AM due to heat related circumstances.
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