By Alex Webbe
An overtime goal on a penalty shot from Tomas Obregon was the difference as Faraway (2-1) scored the 8-7 overtime win over La Casa Hermosa (1-1) Tuesday morning in the International Polo Club’s Wanderers Classic.
The game got off to a slow start as both teams struggled to get any consistent rhythm established. La Casa Hermosa’s Jeff Blake finally broke the scoring drought with the only goal of the first chukker on a well-placed shot from the field.
Brad Blake added two more goals to the La Casa Hermosa total, with Chris Nevins scoring once from the field as well. Julian Daniels accounted for the only Faraway goal of the chukker as La Casa Hermosa took a 4-1 lead after the opening two chukkers of play.
A regrouped Faraway contingent took the field in the third period combining disciplined defense with a strong attack. Two goals from Daniels and a single goal from Obregon tied it up at 4-4, as La Casa Hermosa was held scoreless.
Obregon managed the only goal of the fourth period, on a penalty shot, as both teams missed scoring opportunities. After four periods Faraway led by a single goal, 5-4.
Brad Bake and Nevins scored successive goals to open the fifth for a 6-5 lead, but Daniels evened it at 6-6 with a 60-yard penalty conversion.
Both teams struggled with their offense in the sixth chukker until late in the period, Jeff Blake scored for La Casa Hermosa to edge Faraway 7-6. With seconds on the clock, Daniels scored his fifth goal of the game to tie it up at 7-7 and force the sudden-death overtime.
Less than two minutes into the seventh chukker, La Casa Hermosa fouled the attacking Faraway team, with Obregon scoring on the 30-yard penalty shot for the 8-7 win.
Daniels scored a game high five goals. Obregon scored three times, including the winning penalty goal.
Brad Blake scored three times for La Casa Hermosa. Jeff Blake and Nevins scored two goals apiece in the loss.