Girls soccer playoffs roundup: Moorpark holds off Buena's late charge

What’s a playoff win against a familiar foe without a few breathless moments?

Host Buena High forced the Moorpark High’s girls soccer team to hold on until the final whistle Friday night to earn its first quarterfinal in four years.

“That was crazy at the end,” Moorpark senior Gabriela Beauchemin said. “We stuck through it.”

Beauchemin scored two goals and Moorpark needed both to hold off a late charge from Buena to survive, 2-1, in the second round CIF-Southern Section Division 3 playoffs.

“Of course, it’s another Ventura County team,” Buena coach A.J. Tewes said. “A lot of the girls know each other. We’ve played them already.”

The Coastal Canyon League champion, which also topped Buena 3-1 in December, improved to 14-4 and advanced to the quarterfinals Tuesday, when it will host San Dimas.

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“We have a good combination of players who can head the ball and are strong,” Beauchemin said. “We also have players who are fast and … skilled. So it’s the best of both worlds.”

Beauchemin gave the Musketeers the lead in the ninth minute, squeezing in a right-footed shot from a tight angle.

“I got a through ball in,” Beauchemin said. “I dribbled down on my right foot (and shot) far left post.”

Beauchemin doubled the Moorpark lead in the 59th minute, when she drove a low free kick from 20 yards into the bottom corner.

“I was kind of like, ‘Do I take it?’ ” Beauchemin said. “I was like, ‘I got this.’ ”

In between, Buena created a series of chances on the counterattack. It nearly tied the game in first-half stoppage time, when freshman Tatiana Padilla beat a defender to a through ball and cut inside on her left foot.

But rather than tying the game, the shot rattled the Moorpark crossbar.

“They’re very strong in general, especially on the counterattack,” Tewes said of Moorpark. “We knew that and that their centerbacks were really tough to beat.”

Buena’s Abigail Wood sparked a wild final 10 minutes, when the senior striker headed home Padilla’s corner kick at the far post to pull the Bulldogs within a goal of forcing overtime.

“You could feel everyone on my team genuinely fighting for that win,” Wood said. “You could feel everyone’s heart was in it.”

Buena had several chances to equalize late. Wood created the best opportunity, but volleyed just over in transition.

“It was very intense,” Wood said. “You could feel the emotion of everyone.”

Buena’s season ended at 13-6-1, but the valiant finish left the Bulldogs savoring a bittersweet taste.

“What more could you ask for from them?” Tewes said of her players.

DIVISION 2

Westlake 2, Alta Loma 1 (OT): Emma Naftzger scored a golden goal in the third minute of overtime from KK Chowana’s assist as the Warriors advanced to the quarterfinals for the second straight season.

“KK was able to turn and dribble at them,” Westlake coach Frank Marino said. “Emma hit a great first touch to get forward and finish far post for the game-winner.”

Westlake executed a nifty set piece play to take the lead in the first half, when Lex Sahagian’s diving header finished Chowana’s free kick delivery.

“We put that in this week,” Marino said. “The girls thought we were crazy.”

Alta Loma equalized before halftime and the game was delayed early in the second half after the stadium’s floodlights failed.

Westlake (14-2-3) will host San Dimas in Tuesday’s quarterfinals.

DIVISION 4

El Rancho 4, Santa Paula 0: The Citrus Coast League champion Cardinals (17-2-1) conceded four goals in the first half on the road and were shut out for just the second time this season.

DIVISION 5

Ontario Christian 2, Foothill Tech 0: Playing without injured senior star Lily Shadden, the Tri-Valley League champion Dragons (9-3-3) were shut out for just the second time this season.

St. Genevieve 4, Channel Islands 1: Playing in the second round for the first time in program history, the Raiders' historic postseason run ended on the road in Panorama City, despite taking a first-half lead on a goal by Joanna Reyna.

Joe Curley covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcspreps on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Girls soccer playoff roundup: Moorpark holds off Buena's late charge