Circa outlasts KIG, 12-11, in Iglehart Cup play
By Alex Webbe
Bash Kazi and his KIG team made an unsuccessful debut in
the opening round of the 2012 Iglehart Cup Thursday afternoon at the
International Polo club in Wellington, falling to a powerful Circa team, 12-11.
KIG received one goal by handicap and quickly ran the
score to 3-0 on a pair of penalty goals from Tommy Biddle. Hilario Ulloa finally got Circa on the
scoreboard with a penalty conversion, but a goal from the field from 7-goaler
Sugar Erskine had KIG ahead, 4-1. With
just over 30 seconds left in the chukker, Ulloa was on the receiving end of a
pass from teammate Martin Pepa, and drove the ball through the goalposts from
70 yards out. The first chukker ended
with KIG on top of a 4-2 score.
Goals from Pepa and Guille Aguero opened the second
period, tying it up at 4-4. Biddle
converted another penalty shot to give KIG a 5-4 advantage. With just over a minute left in the period,
Ulloa scored his third goal of the game for a 5-5 tie.
Just seconds into the second chukker, Ulloa converted a
penalty shot for a goal to open the third chukker and give Circa their first
lead of the game, 6-5. Two minutes later
Erskine drove the ball through the Circa goalposts, and it was all even at
6-6. Aguero picked up a loose ball and
carried it 180 yards down the field for another go-ahead goal, 7-6. Erskine tied it up again, 7-7, with a goal
from the field, but it would be Aguero who would score another Circa goal in
the final seconds of the first half for a 7-8 lead.
A sore wrist would sideline KIG’s Sugar Erskine; with
former 10-goaler Mike Azzaro taking his place on the team, and the two teams
went at it again.
Just fifteen seconds into the fourth chukker, Biddle
evened the score at 8-8 with a 60-yard penalty shot, but that would be the end
of the KIG offensive push for the next several minutes. Ulloa gave the lead back to Circa, 9-8, with
a penalty goal while consecutive goals from Pepa and Aguero extended the Circa
lead to three goals, 11-8. Ulloa scored
his second goal of the chukker with under a minute left in the period and Circa
left the field with a 12-8 advantage.
Both defenses stiffened in the fifth as the teams charged
up and down the field in frustration. Azzaro
got credit for the only goal in the chukker when a shot by him on goal was
deflected through the goalposts by a defending player. Circa continued to lead, 12-9.
Biddle scored a goal from the field in the opening
seconds of the sixth chukker, breathing a little life back into the KIG
offense. About a minute later Biddle
converted a penalty shot for a goal, bringing KIG to within a goal of Circa,
12-11.
KIG continued to struggle with shots at the Circa goal
being deflected or going wide. Missed
penalty shots finally did KIG in with Circa registering the 12-11 victory.
A smiling Bash Kazi left the field after the game
thanking his teammates for the game.
“We’re so lucky to have the privilege of riding out onto
these manicured fields on beautifully trained horses and play this majestic
game,†he beamed. “There is no losing
here,†he added. “One team may score
more goals than the other, but you can’t lose.
I had w wonderful time today and got rid of all of the frustrations that
come with a full week of work. This is
just wonderful.â€
Biddle led the KIG team with six goals. Erskine scored three times and Azzaro added a
goal and the team received one goal by handicap.
Ulloa’s six goals led the Circa attack. Aguero was credited with four goals and Pepa
scored twice in the win.