BHHS Girls Soccer Edges Culver City

Tiffany Moore, co-captain of the Beverly Hills High School girls varsity soccer team, remembers vividly how she felt watching Culver City players celebrate at Nickoll Field last year after beating the Normans 2-1 in overtime in their regular season finale—a loss that cost BHHS the Ocean League crown.

It was a feeling the senior midfielder didn't want to experience again as the Normans hosted the Centaurs on Wednesday. And Moore made sure she and her teammates wouldn't have to. She scored the game's only goal 15 yards out from the right wing in the 14th minute as BHHS avenged last season's home loss to its archrival and remained undefeated in league play with a 1-0 victory.

"I'm normally more of a feeder but I saw an opening so I decided to shoot it," Moore said. "Last year, Culver City came here and took the title away from us and we had to show them this is still our field."

Beverly Hills (10-5-2 overall, 5-0 in league), ranked No. 8 in this week's CIF Southern Section Division 4 poll, upset reigning league champion Santa Monica, 2-1, in overtime last week on goals by Tylor Fields and Ashley Aviram. The Vikings began the week ranked sixth in Division 4.

"I told the girls before the game that we have a unique opportunity to make this a special season, but for that to happen we have to win this game," BHHS Coach Scott Franks said. "Culver City is very well coached. They always play us tough."

Senior goalie and co-captain Ida Trevino made 12 saves for the Normans and came up big in the second half when the Centaurs (9-7-1, 3-2) came close to tying the score on several occasions. In the 52nd minute, they hit the crossbar on a corner kick and junior midfielder Cassandra Garcia's point-blank shot was high on the rebound. Then, moments before the final whistle, senior midfielder Lydia Chodosh re-directed a cross just wide of the post. 

The win puts the Normans in the driver's seat with five games remaining, but Moore knows their job is only half done.

"We've got to treat every game the same," she said. "The one difference is we all get along more than last year."

Beverly Hills last won a league championship in 2003 when it was a member of the Pioneer League. Franks took over the following season when the Normans moved to the Ocean League and Santa Monica has captured eight straight titles since then. Last year, BHHS lost at home to the Vikings but won the rematch on the road and needed only a tie in the league finale against Culver City to clinch first place. Losing that game has served as added motivation for the returning players.

"Last year we had Nicole Star who could drive the ball 40 yards, so we attacked down the sidelines a lot more," Franks said. "This year, we go more through the middle because that's where we have a lot of speed. I thought our MVP tonight was [sweeper] Elana Rust. She and [co-captain] Kayla Reisfelt played very well."

Reisfelt (who had an ankle injury) and Ellie Dubin (who was out several weeks with a concussion) returned to the lineup right before winter break and BHHS has been firing on all cylinders. Aviram leads the team in points with 19 goals and 12 assists while Fields, who tallied a team-best 22 goals last winter, has 10 so far this season.

"This is huge for our program but we haven't won anything yet," Franks said. "We won 16 games and made great strides last season, but now's our time to take it one step further. Last year it came down to the very last game and we know the race is far from over. We still have to play Samo again and travel to Culver City to close the season. We can't afford to take anyone lightly." 

Beverly Hills travels to Hawthorne to begin the second round of league play on Friday, then plays at Morningside next Wednesday before hosting Santa Monica next Friday night. 

Goals: Beverly Hills—Tiffany Moore, 14th minute.

Saves: Beverly Hills—12, Ida Trevino; Culver City—7, Daniella Gutierrez.

Records: Beverly Hills 10-5-2, 5-0; Culver City 9-7-1 overall, 3-2 in league.

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