Lady Trojans Grind Out Road Win at Barton, Improve to 2–1 in Conference Play

GREAT BEND — Colby Community College earned one of its grittiest victories of the early season Tuesday night, topping Barton Community College 57–51 inside Fleske Fieldhouse. Strong defensive stretches, balanced scoring, and the steadying return of sophomore guard Olivia Hultgren helped the Lady Trojans move to 5–4 overall and 2–1 in Jayhawk Conference action.

The win came in one of the league’s toughest environments, and Head Coach Darin Spence praised his team’s resilience and defensive commitment.

“We really competed tonight at Barton, in a very tough place to play,” Spence said. “Defense has to be our identity and when our positioning is sound, we can be pretty good.”

Colby put that identity on display from the second quarter onward. After trailing 16–14 at the end of the first, the Lady Trojans outscored Barton 18–10 in the second frame to take a 32–26 halftime advantage. Those 18 points came through a mix of inside touches and timely perimeter shooting, highlighted by the team’s 6-of-16 performance from the arc for the night. The turning point came on the defensive end, where Colby forced a series of tough shots and limited Barton to just 27.7 percent shooting for the game.

Sophomore forward Dessirae Ulmer powered Colby’s interior presence, finishing with 14 points, 9 rebounds, and a perfect 6-of-7 effort from the free-throw line. Her activity on the glass and ability to finish through contact allowed Colby to maintain control during momentum swings. Guard Jera Kruleski matched her team-high 14 points while adding 6 rebounds and hitting clutch free throws in the final seconds to secure the win.

Hultgren’s return proved pivotal. After missing time and working her way back into rhythm, she delivered 11 points, 5 assists, and several timely plays down the stretch. Her fourth-quarter three-pointer with 42 seconds remaining pushed the lead to 53–48, creating the separation Colby needed.

“Olivia makes us a much different team because of her ability to run a team and score,” Spence said. “She isn’t in basketball shape like she was and that will be an ongoing ordeal moving forward. This was a big win for us and we figured some things out and that will help us moving on.”

Freshman point guard Paishintz Booker added two free throws late in the second quarter to help Colby build its halftime cushion. She also contributed three steals and steady defensive pressure during Barton’s third-quarter push, when the Cougars briefly closed the gap to one possession. Bench production was another key factor; Colby outscored Barton 18–0 in bench points, buoyed by Hultgren, Logan Nolan’s three-pointer, and Easha Potts’ 4 points and 5 rebounds.

While Barton outrebounded Colby 40–35 and earned 14 second-chance points, the Lady Trojans countered with efficiency. Colby shot 38.3 percent overall and a conference-best 88.2 percent from the line, capitalizing on nearly every opportunity in a tight fourth quarter. A composed final minute sealed the win, with Ulmer and Kruleski combining for four free throws to close out the game.

The victory marks Colby’s second league win and builds momentum ahead of another significant test.

“Cowley is a strong offensive team who will come at us fast and they like to press,” Spence said. “We will need to handle the press and make good decisions.”

Colby returns home today to face Cowley County Community College at 1 p.m. inside the Colby Event Center, looking to continue its progress as conference play intensifies.