For The Spectrum & Daily News

HURRICANE - Moments after their 2-0 win at Hurricane on Tuesday night, the word being repeated by members of the Dixie girls soccer team was "lucky."

The Flyers felt fortunate to escape Hurricane with a win after the Tigers gave Dixie all it could handle for 80 minutes.

"This wasn't our best game at all," said Chamea Palmer, who scored both of Dixie's goals. "We got lucky pulling it through at the end."

Dixie coach Burt Myers agreed with Palmer's assessment.

"Hurricane played a great game," he said. "We're fortunate to get out of here with a win. That's a good team. (Hurricane coach) Doug Katzenbach does a good job with these girls. I'm impressed with how hard they played."

The Flyers, however, were discounting in those statements how much the final score reflected their own skills, particularly the finishing of Palmer, the goalkeeping of Trisha McArthur and the defense of Ashley Hall.

Palmer struck for two goals within 60 seconds of game time midway through the first half. In the 27th minute, the Flyers kicked the ball around, looking for an opening in the Tigers' backline. The ball found its way to Palmer who hit a rising shot from 30 yards that sailed over the defense and over the keeper but fell into the back of the net.

A minute later, Mikkel Griffin's dribbling drew the attention of the Hurricane defense. As several Tigers swarmed to Griffin, she deftly kicked the ball sideways to a wide-open Palmer, who sent the ball into the far netting to put Dixie up 2-0.

The Tigers spent much of the game pressuring Dixie's defense, but McArthur was ready for each challenge. Several times in the game, McArthur sprinted to the edge of the box and slid to reach the ball before a charging Tiger did.

"When I saw the ball coming clear toward me, I just had the urge to get it," said McArthur of her decision to pursue so many balls on the edge of the penalty area.

Myers was pleased with his keeper's play.

"Trisha McArthur played a very intelligent ballgame," Myers said. "She came out when she needed to come out, and she made saves when she needed to make saves. She punched away a few balls that made me nervous."

Besides McArthur, Myers was also happy with the play of junior fullback Ashley Hall.

"Ashley Hall bailed us out a couple times," Myers said. "I'm impressed with our defense because they didn't allow a goal, and Hurricane had it in our end for most of the game."

Hurricane forward Brittany Ward led the Tigers' attack, as she hustled to get several shots and applied pressure on the Dixie defense. Ward also had what was perhaps Hurricane's best chance. In the 54th minute, she hit a trickler that scooted past McArthur's fingertips but fell just inches wide of the upright.

Ward and Megan Prince combined for most of the Tigers' shots, but neither one could get it in the net.

"They got off a lot more shots than I thought they would," McArthur said. "They got off a lot more shots than we did, but we got them in the goal."

SNOW CANYON 0, CANYON VIEW 0, 2 OT: Snow Canyon's Kylie Moore and Canyon View's Danielle Wynn had shutouts as neither squad could find the back of the net.

Warriors coach Paul Kreyling and Falcons skipper Mark Comstock agreed that both teams had opportunities.

"We played them tough and got a tie on the road," Comstock said. "That's good stuff."

Said Kreyling: "When we got down there, they tightened up."

Snow Canyon's record is 6-4-2 while Canyon View's is 8-3-1.

PINE VIEW 1, DESERT HILLS 0: Kylie Glines scored at around the 20th minute and Megan Church had the shutout for the Panthers (5-5).

The Thunder's Keilani Needham and Katie Potter split time in the net for the injured Cicily Braten. Desert Hills' record slips to 4-7-1.