Bobby Barry : EFG Bank vs Lucchese

January 15, 2009 Game Reports 0

EFG Bank Scores 16-13 Win Over Lucchese


By Alex Webbe


 


EFG Bank relied on the teamwork of longtime friends Julio Arellano and Luis Escobar to score a 16-13 win over a troublesome Lucchese side in the opening game of the Bobby Barry Memorial Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington.


Early goals from Mike Azzaro and Andres Weisz had Lucchese on top early, but South African 5-goaler Whistle Uys (pronounced ace), Arellano (8-goals) and Escobar (7-goals) scored single goals to leave the field after the first chukker in a 3-3 tie.


Lucchese rallied in the second frame with two more goals from Mike Azzaro and another single goal from Weisz for a 6-4 advantage.  A penalty goal from Arellano was the only offense EFG Bank could muster, and Lucchese led by two.


“We made some adjustments after the second chukker,” said EFG Bank’s Luis Escobar, and took control of the game in the third period.”


Indeed they did, as EFG Bank scored five goals in the chukker (two from Escobar and three from Arellano).  Lucchese’s Azzaro converted a penalty shot to keep from being shut out, but EFG Bank took a 9-7 halftime lead.


EFG Bank lost no time in pouring it on in the fourth chukker.  Three unanswered goals from Arellano had them on the top side of a 12-7 score.  Nine-goaler Mike Azzaro added two goals fro Lucchese to cut the lead, but still trailed 12-9.


“We started matching up our horses a little better later in the game,” added Escobar, as Lucchese fought back.  Two more goals from Uys and another goal from Escobar had them up 15-9 before another Azzaro goal put Lucchese in double digits, trailing 15-10.


Azzaro converted two penalty shots and Shane Rice got on the scoreboard with a goal from the field, but it was too little too late.  Arellano scored his sixth goal of the game to close out the scoring and give EFG Bank a 16-13 win, and a spot in Sunday’s noon finals against Mt. Brilliant.


Mike Azzaro led all scoring with nine goals.  Teammate Andres Weisz scored three times and Shane Rice added a goal in the loss.


EFG Bank’s Luis Escobar scored team high seven goals.  Julio Arellano scored six goals and Whistle Uys added three goals in the winning effort.