After nearly a week of rain, the sun finally came out Thursday, just in time for the Miners girls soccer team’s playoff quarterfinal clash against the defending state champions, Snow Canyon.  Park City welcomed the defending champions and a couple hundred fans to Dozier Field, who flooded the field during halftime and after the game, kicking around soccer balls and tossing footballs. On the pitch, the Miners took it to Snow Canyon. After a slowish start to the first half, Park City began to dominate possession, and eventually junior Ashtyn Holder scored the opening goal with six minutes and 43 seconds left in the first half.  The Miners kept chipping away at their opponents into the second half, when the floodgates really opened: Tia Peay and Riley Reese scored middle of the second-half goals within minutes of each other, and Elsa Dellenbach, another for good measure in the game’s final minutes for a 4-0 final.  Park City junior Mallory Carter plays the ball forward during the playoff quarterfinal clash. Credit: Photo courtesy of Joseph Santos “I thought we played well,” said Park City Head Coach Anthony DiCicco. “That’s a good Snow Canyon team, the defending champions. We knew they were going to come in and battle.” The head ball coach thought his team played better in the second half. He hopes that’s indicative of their level in the games yet to come.  “I thought we were the better team, and also I think we can play better,” DiCicco said. “We’re pleased, but not satisfied.” The Miners will get the weekend off before heading to Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman at 9 a.m. on Tuesday to take on Ridgeline. Park City didn’t face Ridgeline in the regular season, but will be out for some revenge, as Ridgeline ended their season last year in the same round.  “The girls will be fired up,” DiCicco said. “But we’ll take on whoever it is and prepare accordingly. We don’t take anybody lightly, so we’re going to do the work to make sure that we’re ready.” Dellenbach added: “We feel like we have something to prove after going out earlier than we think we deserved last season.” She said the team is so focused because they’ve been on the winning side of upsets in the past few years. As the top seed in 4A, they know they’re going to get everybody’s best shot.  “This season, we’re seeded No. 1, and we have everything to prove,” Dellenbach said. “We’ve been wanting this the last four years, and we’ve been so close each year. … I think it’s all led up to this.” Senior Hailey Olsen thinks this is the year everyone on the team has settled perfectly into their roles. They’ve been working alongside each other at that for months now.  “The chemistry is different this year,” Olsen said. “We’ve trained six days a week for three months now, and everyone comes to practice really ready and playing really hard. … I’m so proud of everyone here. There’s no one else I’d rather be here with.” Elsa Dellenbach put the game on ice with her goal in the final minutes of the game, helping the Miners advance to the state semifinals. Credit: Photo courtesy of Joseph Santos The post Miners girls soccer team defeats Snow Canyon to advance to state semifinals appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less