Brighton's girls soccer team opened the 5A state tournament with a 3-0 shutout of Spanish Fork on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Ariana Milkota scored twice for the fourth-seeded Bengals, and Savannah Zenger added a third goal against the No. 29 Dons. Goalkeeper Lilah Sligting posted another shutout, adding to a season total that stood at 8.5 entering the tournament, a mark the Deseret News called the best among 5A contenders. As we previewed ahead of Tuesday's openers, Brighton carried home-field advantage into the bracket as the No. 4 seed.
The win advances seventh-year head coach Sara Cowley's squad to a quarterfinal matchup against No. 12 West Field, which upset No. 5 Box Elder in penalty kicks Tuesday.
Brighton advances.
Milkota entered the postseason with 15 goals and three assists on the year. Zenger carried seven goals and seven assists during the regular season. The Bengals finished 14-4 overall after outscoring opponents 53-13 in the regular season with a 13-4 record and an 8-4 mark in Region 6, second in the conference.
The Bengals had not faced Spanish Fork since a 2-0 Brighton win in the 2023 5A quarterfinals. Last season, Brighton was eliminated 1-0 by Olympus in the quarterfinals as the No. 10 seed, making this year's higher seeding and home-field advantage a step forward for the program.
Olympus defeats Skyline 4-0
No. 3 Olympus defeated No. 14 Skyline 4-0 in another 5A first-round match Tuesday, according to the Deseret News.
Mia Green led the Titans with two goals, pushing her season total to seven. Annika Sperry and Kayla Bradley each scored once. Goalkeeper Maddie Sharp earned the shutout.
The result extended Olympus's winning streak over its crosstown rival to seven matches. Head coach Jamie Evans's Titans reached last year's 5A championship game before falling 2-1 to Bountiful.
Brighton faces No. 12 West Field in the quarterfinals. The Utah High School Activities Association has not announced dates for either team's next match.
