Ylvisaker Cup quarterfinals await one final game

By Alex Webbe

Piaget’s 12-9 win over Equuleus in the 2012 Ylvisaker Cup tournament at the International Polo Club in Wellington was the capper for a day in which no less than seven games were played in the 20-goal competition. Earlier wins had Lucchese besting Villa Del Lago, 13-10; Audi holding on for an 11-8 win over ERG; Valiente II taking down Zacara 8-6; Valiente I getting past Pony Express 9-7; and Orchard Hill winning an overtime match against MetalTek.

Although it was Equuleus 8-goaler Paco de Narvaez who scored the opening goal of the match, Piaget dominated from the early chukkers, running up a 3-1 score after the first chukker with team captain Melissa Ganzi tying it up at 1-1 on a well-placed goal from the field and Miguel Astrada adding two more goals (one from the field and one on a penalty shot) for the early lead.

Astrada and Jason Crowder added single goals to open the second chukker, giving Piaget a 5-1 lead when Equuleus got into action. A penalty goal from Mariano Gonzalez was followed by a goal from de Narvaez, cutting the lead to two goals, 5-3. Two more goals from Astrada closed out the period with Piaget holding a commanding 7-3 lead.

Defenses tightened in the third period but the pace continued to escalate. A goal from the field from Astrada was answered by a goal from de Narvaez, and the first half ended with Piaget riding a four goal, 4-8 lead off of the field.

An energized Equuleus team rode onto the field in the fourth chukker and put up consecutive goals from de Narvaez and Brandon Phillips to cut the lead to two goals, 8-6. Astrada responded with two more goals and Crowder added a score as Piaget extended their lead to five goals, 11-6.

Equuleus dug deep in the fifth chukker, but was unable to score. Crowder added his third goal of the game and with just seven minutes in regulation time, Piaget led 12-6.

Equuleus fought valiantly in the sixth chukker, picking up a pair of goals from de Narvaez and a penalty goal from Gonzalez, but time ran out on them as Piaget took the game, 12-9, and assured themselves a berth in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Astrada led the Piaget team with eight goals, and was named MVP for his efforts. Crowder scored three times and Ganzi added a goal for the win.

Astrada’s mare Cumbia was honored as Best Playing Pony.

De Narvaez accounted for six goals. Gonzalez scored two penalty goals for Equuleus. Phillips added a goal.

LUCCHESE 13, VILLA DEL LAGO 10

Pelon Escapite scored the first goal of the game in the opening minute of play to put Villa Del Lago on top, 1-0, but that would be the last time Lucchese would trail. Pelon Sterling converted a penalty shot for a goal and Santi Torres scored to give Lucchese a 2-1 advantage. A second goal from Stirling was answered by a goal from the field from Villa Del Lago’s Magoo Laprida, as the first chukker ended with Lucchese ahead, 3-2.

Stirling showed why his handicap was recently elevated to 10-goals as he opened and closed the chukker with scores, exhibiting expert mallet work and great field strategy. Lucchese extended their lead to three goals, 5-2.

Escapite converted a pair penalty shots for goals in the third, but a goal from the field from Cote Zegers (substituting for the injured Andres Weisz) and a penalty goal from Stirling ended the first half with Lucchese boasting a 7-4 lead.

Stirling opened the fourth chukker with a penalty conversion for a goal before the Villa Del Lago onslaught began. Augustin Obregon added a pair of goals from the field and Escapite added another penalty goal. The Lucchese lead was back to two goals, 9-7.

Lucchese ratcheted up its defense in the fifth period, shutting Villa Del Lago out for the second time while picking up goals from Zegers and Stirling. With one chukker left to play, Lucchese led by four goals, 11-7.

Villa Del Lago staged a last chukker rally, picking up two goals from Laprida and another goal from Escapite. Stirling added two more goals for Lucchese for the 13-10 win.

Stirling led all scoring with ten goals on the day. Zegers scored twice and Torres added a goal in the victory.

Escapite led the Villa Del Lago attack with five goals. Laprida scored three times and Obregon added two goals.

AUDI 11, ERG 8

Audi jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the opening chukker, and despite a fourth chukker rally by ERG, managed to take home an 11-8 win its bracket of play with a perfect 3-0 record.

Lucas Lalor and Nic Roldan scored the opening goals of the game for Audi for a 2-0 edge. Luis Escobar got ERG on the scoreboard with a goal from the field. Roldan closed out the chukker with his second gal and a 3-1 Audi lead.

Agustin Merlos converted a 40-yard penalty shot for a goal in the second chukker, but a pair of goals from Brazilian 8-goaler, Rodrigo Andrade, extended the Audi lead to three goals, 5-2.

Audi’s Marc Ganzi and ERG team captain Scott Wood exchanged goals in the third period, and the first half ended with Audi enjoying a three goal, 6-3 advantage.

ERG came out in the second half with all guns blazing, outscoring Audi 4-1 and tying it up at 7-7. Wood opened the scoring with a goal from the field followed by a penalty conversion for a goal from Merlos. Andrade answered with a goal for Audi, but a goal from the field from Escobar and another penalty goal from Merlos had it all even at 7-7.

A resolute Audi team returned to the field in the fifth, shutting down the ERG attack and converting penalty goals by Ganzi and Roldan. After five chukkers of play, Audi led, 9-7.

ERG cut the lead to a single goal, 8-7, on a goal from Wood, but Audi quickly responded with single goals from Andrade and Ganzi for the 11-8 win.

Andrade set the pace for the Audi attack with four goals. Ganzi and Roldan added three goals each and Lalor accounted for a goal in the victory.

Wood and Merlos scored three goals apiece for ERG. Escobar added a pair of goals in the loss.

VALIENTE II 8, ZACARA 6

After suffering two one-goal losses to Lucchese and Villa Del Lago, Valiente II took it out on Zacara, and scored an 8-6 win in an effort to salvage some pride in a humbling first couple of weeks of play.

Both teams entered the match with 0-2 records and were desperately seeking the answer, but a scoreless opening chukker of play did little to restore any confidence in either team.

Nacho Astrada scored a pair of goals in the second period that went unanswered as Zacara struggled to put an effective attack together. After two periods of play, Valiente II was in front, 2-0.

Marcos Llambias finally got Zacara on the scoreboard in the third with a goal from the field. Astrada added a goal for Valiente II, but Zacara team captain Lyndon Lea ended the first half with his first goal of the game. Valiente II left the field with an anemic 3-2 halftime lead.

The Valiente II attack continued to press the Zacara defenders in the second half with Astrada accounting for three goals (two on penalty shots and one from the field). Llambias scored Zacara’s only goal of the period, but trailed 6-3.

Julio Gracida put Valiente II ahead 7-3 with his first goal of the game, but Joaquin Pittaluga countered with a penalty goal for the last score of the period. Valiente II continued to lead, 7-4.

Llambias scored on a penalty goal in the sixth and Pittaluga added a goal from the field to cut the Valiente II lead to a single goal, 8-7. Gracida converted a final penalty shot for a goal, however, in an 8-6 win.

Astrada led the Valiente II offense with six goals. Gracida scored twice.

Llambias scored three goals for Zacara. Pittaluga added two goals and Lea scored once in a losing effort.

HEATHCOTE 7, CIRCA 6

After trailing in the fifth chukker, Heathcote delivered two last chukker goals to score its first win of the tournament over Circa, 7-6.

Martin Pepa got Circa off to an early 2-0 start with a pair of goals from the field. Lucas Monteverde kept Heathcote from being shut out by scoring a single goal. Circa took the early lead, 2-1.

The second chukker belonged to an aggressive Heathcote foursome as they put up three unanswered goals. Monteverde scored his second goal of the match and Tommy Biddle added a pair of goals (one from the field and one on a 60-yard penalty conversion) as Heathcote moved in front of Circa, 4-2.

Goals were hard to come by in the third chukker. Both teams struggled unsuccessfully for control of the ball. Guille Aguero was finally able to break through the Heathcote defense to score his first goal of the game and cut the Heathcote lead to a single goal, 4-3 halftime lead.

Biddle’s third goal of the contest opened the fourth chukker and extended the Heathcote lead to two goals, 5-3, but Circa rushed back. Hilario Ulloa’s first goal of the game kept them close, trailing Heathcote, 5-4.

A penalty goal from Ulloa and a goal from the field from Pepa went unanswered in the fifth period as Circa reclaimed its first chukker lead, 6-5.

Heathcote and Circa continued to press their respective attacks in the final chukker. Two goals from Monteverde and a resolute defense held Circa scoreless in the final seven minutes of play for the 7-6 Heathcote win.

Monteverde scored four goals for Heathcote. Teammate Biddle added three goals in the victory.

Pepa accounted for three of Circa’s goals. Ulloa scored twice and Aguero added a goal.

In spite of the loss, circa finished in first place in its bracket of lay and will proceed to the quarterfinals on Friday.

VALIENTE I 9, PONY EXPRESS 7

Valiente I scored their third straight tournament win in a 9-7 win over Pony Express and assured itself a spot in the tournament quarterfinals with a bracket winning finish.

Valiente I got opening goals from Robert Jornayvaz and Jeff Hall, but Pony Express took advantage of one goal by handicap from the 20-goal Valiente I team and added a goal from the field from Tomas Goti for a 2-2 first chukker.

Hall added another goal in the second period, but was countered by a goal from Pony Express team captain Bob Daniels, and the second period ended in a 3-3 deadlock.

Santiago Toccalino scored the first goal of the third chukker for Valiente I for a short-lived 4-3 lead. Goti countered for Pony Express for a 4-4 halftime tie.

Juan Garcia Grossi and Goti scored consecutive goals to open the fourth chukker for a 6-4 lead. Toccalino scored a final penalty goal as Valiente I trailed Pony Express, 6-5.

Valiente I exploded with four straight goals in the fifth. Toccalino scored twice with teammates Hall and Santiago Bottaro adding single goals for a 9-6 lead. Nick Snow cut into the Valiente I lead with a goal from the field for Pony Express to end the period, now trailing, 9-7.

Pony Express pressed and Valiente I’s defense held as the scoreless sixth chukker passed with no scoring and resulting in the 9-7 Valiente I win.

Toccalino scored four goals for Valiente I. Hall added three goals and Bottaro and Jornayvaz added single goals in the victory.

Pony Express got three goals from Goti and single goals from Grossi, Snow and Daniels. Pony Express also received one goal by handicap.

ORCHARD HILL 12, METALTEK 11 OT

In the final match of the day, Orchard Hill fell behind early but staged a second half rally to tie MetalTek and then win in a 12-11 overtime chukker.

Sebastian Merlos got MetalTek on the scoreboard with the opening goal of the first period, but was answered by a goal from Facundo Obregon. Carlucho Arellano closed out the scoring in the first chukker with a penalty goal and a 2-1 MetalTek lead.

A pair of goals from the field from Merlos n the second chukker were countered by a single goal from Obregon as Orchard Hill fell behind 4-2 after the first two chukkers.

MetalTek kept the heat on in the third, with Merlos scoring one goal from the field and converting a 60-yard penalty shot for a second goal in the chukker. Hector Galindo kept Orchard Hill in it with a penalty goal and a goal from the field. At the end of the first half, Metaltek held a 6-4 advantage.

Merlos scored his sixth goal of the game to open the second half, but Orchard Hill responded with single goals from Lucas Criado and Facundo Obregon (a 60-yard penalty conversion). MetalTek continued to lead, but the margin had been cut to a single goal, 7-6.

Two more goals from Obregon and a goal from Criado were answered by a pair of penalty goals from Arellano, and at the end of five chukkers, it was all even at 9-9.

Will Johnston’s first goal of the game came on a pass from Merlos, and put MetalTek on top, 10-9. With under two minutes in regulation time, Steve Van Andel intercepted a MetalTek pass. Criado followed it up for the goal and a 10-10 tie. MetalTek was fouled with 45 seconds left in the chukker. Arellano converted the 40-yard penalty shot for an 11-10 lead. Orchard Hill took possession of the ensuing throw in and was fouled as they headed for the MetalTek goal. With 21 seconds left on the clock, Obregon converted the 60-yard penalty shot to tie it up at 11-11 and send it into sudden-death overtime.

After making unsuccessful runs at one another’s goals, Orchard Hill was fouled in the MetalTek goal area and awarded a penalty shot. Obregon teed it up and drove it through the goalposts for the win, a win that would send them to the tournament quarterfinals with a 2-1 record.

Obregon led all scoring with seven goals. Criado added three goals and Galindo scored twice in the win.

Merlos set the pace for MetalTek with six goals. Arellano accounted for four goals and Johnston scored once.

With just one game remaining to be played to set the final pairings in Friday’s Ylvisaker Cup quarterfinals the matchups appear to be: Lucchese (3-0) vs. Orchard Hill (2-1); Valiente I vs. the winner of Tuesday’s Alegria vs. Coca-Cola match; Circa (2-1) vs. Piaget (2-1); and Audi (3-0) vs. Vila Del Lago (2-1).