Isla Carroll and Boca Developers in Pedro Morrison Memorial Cup Final
By Alex Webbe
Isla Carroll and Boca Developers each won their Friday matches in the 2009 Pedro Morrison Memorial Cup by identical 9-7 scores to earn their positions in Sunday’s championship match.
Isla Carroll’s John Goodman scored the opening goal of the 10 AM morning contest with a beautifully executed cut shot at goal just yards from the back line. Moments later, Luis Escobar got Numans on the scoreboard to end the chukker in a 1-1 tie.
Goals from Kris Kampsen and Juan Bollini had Isla Carroll ahead 3-1 as they pressed the Numans defense. Escobar notched his second goal of the game to keep it close as Isla Carroll left the field with a 3-2 advantage after two chukkers of play.
The pace of the game was swift and the shots taken weren’t too badly affected by the cool breeze but both teams had trouble converting shots at goal. John Gobin finally broke loose and managed to tie the game at 3-3 with his first goal of the game before Bollini scored again to keep Isla Carroll on top at the end of the first half of play, 4-3.
Numans seemed to have organized itself during the halftime intermission, getting goals from Geoff Stowe, Gobin and Escobar while holding Isla Carroll to a single Kampsen goal. Numans now held a 6-5 lead after four chukkers of play and seemed to have gained the upper hand.
Goodman tied it at 6-6 on an 80 yard shot at goal, but with time expiring in the fifth chukker, Gobin managed to put the ball through the goal posts and keep Numans on top, 7-6.
Both teams returned to the field to battle it out for the final seven-and-a-half minutes, but it was Isla Carroll that put it all together for the win. Kampsen opened the scoring with a tying goal from the field that was followed up by a well placed goal shot from Bollini. Kampsen’s second goal of the chukker came on a penalty conversion, and sealed Numans fate as Isla Carroll celebrated the 9-7 win.
Kampsen led all scoring with four goals. Bollini scored three times and Goodman tallied two goals in the victory.
For Numans, Gobin and Escobar scored three goals apiece with teammate Geoff Stowe adding a single goal.
BOCA DEVELOPERS 9, BARBAROSSA LEATHER 7
Later in the day, Boca Developers scored a hotly contested 9-7 win over Barbarossa Leather to earn its berth in Sunday’s Pedro Morrison Cup finals.
The teams battled back and forth in the opening chukkers, leaving the field in a 3-3 stalemate after the first three chukkers of play. Hector Galindo scored twice for Barbarossa Leather in the first half while Boca Developers relied on two goals from J. J. Celis to set the pace for the team.
Fourth chukker goals from Celis and Diego Cossio had Boca Developers up 5-3 before Barbarossa Leather could ignite any sort of offense. Team captain Leo Mandelbaum finally got his team on the scoreboard, but trailed 5-4 as time expired in the period.
Celis added another goal for Boca Developers in the fifth frame with Mandelbaum answering with a goal from the field for Barbarossa Leather. Celis wove his way through the Barbarossa defense for a final goal in the chukker, putting Boca Developers up 7-5.
Cossio put it out of reach for Barbarossa Leather in the final chukker with two consecutive goals for a handy 9-5 lead. Goals from Joey Casey and Mandelbaum cut the Boca Developers lead to two goals, 9-7, but that’s how the game would end.
Celis led all scoring with five goals for Boca Developers. Teammate Diego Cossio added four in the win.
Mandelbaum set the pace for Barbarossa Leather with four goals. Galindo added two goals and Casey scored once.
Morrison Cup action continues on Sunday, November 15 when Barbarossa Leather meets Numans at 9:30 AM at the Grand Champions Polo Club in the consolation match while Isla Carroll and Boca Developers face off in the finals at 11:30 AM on Field No. 1 at the International Polo Club.