CONCORDIA, Kansas- The Cloud County Community College volleyball team battled Wednesday night, but struggled to gain traction in a four-set defeat at home against Barton Community College. The visiting Cougars took the match with set victories of 25-17, 23-25, 25-15 and 25-19.

Barton (16-4 overall, 5-2 KJCCC) controlled the momentum from the start, jumping out to a 7-3 lead in the first set and never trailed en route to a 25-17 win. Cloud County (9-9 overall, 3-3 KJCCC), after being down as many as 10 points, climbed back within five at 18-13 following the first of two aces on the night by sophomore defensive specialist, Bailey Lewis. The Cougars countered with a 7-4 run to grab Set One.

In the second set, Barton again came out of the break rolling as it built an 8-1 to force a T-Birds timeout. Cloud County, sparked by freshman Elizabeth Nobert, went on a 16-7 blitz — capped off by one of Nobert's six kills in the second set — to take its first lead and force a Cougars timeout with the score 17-15. The T-Birds staved off the Cougars to win the second set, 25-23.

Unfortunately, Cloud was unable to sustain the momentum as Barton jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the third set, cruising to a 25-15 win.

The two teams, which entered the evening fourth (Barton) and fifth (Cloud County) in the KJCCC standings, traded points much of the fourth set, but a 5-1 run by Cougars to build a 14-9 lead created all the seperation they'd need. The T-Birds clawed back within three points at 21-18, but couldn't inch any closer.

Three T-Birds finished the evening with double-figure kill totals, led by Nobert's 13 kills. Redshirt freshman Drew Mann and freshman Katelyn Ruth tallied 11 kills and 10 kills, respectively.

Sophomore outside hitter Cara Flach recorded a team-high 40 assists and 12 digs, followed by Lewis with 11 digs and redshirt freshman Kylie McKinney with 10 digs.

The T-Birds will have two days off to regroup before continuing their mini two-game homestand Saturday against the second-place team in the KJCCC standings, Colby Community College (13-4 overall, 5-1 KJCCC). Saturday's match is scheduled for 2 p.m. inside Arley Bryant Gymnasium.