Park City’s volleyball team was eliminated from state-title contention on Thursday at Utah Valley University with a three-set loss to No. 5 Timpview, but Park City coach Matt Carlson felt the Miners went out playing their best volleyball of the season.
“We played fantastic,” Carlson said on Thursday. “They’re a good team, obviously they’re in the semifinals right now. But we played them tough, and we played good ball. All we wanted to see was them play that way all year long. Whether we win or lose, you can’t really control that outcome. But man, it was fun volleyball. It was a fun time today.”
Though the Miners lost to Timpview, they still had something to play for. Park City beat Skyline for the second time this season Friday morning for a spot in the sixth-and-eighth-place match, which was also played on Friday. After losing to Timpview, No. 12 Park City beat No. 13 Viewmont on Thursday in four sets to keep playing on Friday.
“(The Viewmont win) validates all the hard work we put into the season,” Carlson said. “I think what’s happening is the girls’ belief is changing once again – that they do belong. And I think having a victory like that just reaffirms that.”
Park City nearly didn’t make it to Thursday at all. The Miners were pushed to five sets at home against No. 21 Murray on an off night for Park City’s hitters, who hit under .100 and struggled with errors. Senior Emma Cusimano rocketed seven kills through Murray’s defense in the final frame alone to help secure the win and save the Miners’ season.
“Without her figuring it out, we would not be here playing today, that’s for sure,” Carlson said. “It was an off game, an off night for us. We figured that, just by the law of averages, today would be better. … Luckily it was an off match, and we came ready to play (Thursday).”
It was tough sledding for the Miners against a tough Timpview team that swept them earlier in the season. Timpview came away with the 25-16, 25-18, 25-22 win, but the Miners did everything they could to give the Thunderbirds a fight. Carlson praised the efforts of senior libero Kelsey Farber on Thursday, which included helping the Miners fight off Timpview’s swings on a day when the Thunderbirds were firing on all cylinders.
“She’s been solid all day today,” Carlson said. “Just throwing her body left and right and getting every ball up digging, she’s passing, dives in serve-receive for us, she was just doing a great job for us. She’s just critical for our back row and giving us opportunities for more swings.”
It’s difficult to find moral victories in postseason losses, but Carlson liked what he saw from the Miners against Timpview.
“Just our intensity and our grit and our effort in that game,” he said. “We just didn’t stop playing with heart and grit and focus. You could see that every kid was just doing whatever they can to get the result they wanted, and it was just really rewarding to see that.”
Park City also gave itself one more day to play together. For seniors like Cusimano and Farber, that’s important, too.
“I don’t think (the Miners) wanted to end their season today,” Carlson said on Thursday. “We get a chance to go out and play some more. I think it means everything because it’s the last time a lot of them are going to play volleyball ever in their lives. So, they want to keep it going as much as they can, at least one day more.”