Coca-Cola
dashes Zorzal’s hopes, 11-10; Valiente roughs up ERG in Maserati US Open
competition
By
Alex Webbe
Coca-Cola (2-2) scored their second win of the 2013
Maserati US Open at the International Polo Club and qualified for the
quarterfinals after holding off a talented Zorzal (1-3) team in an 11-10
squeaker. In other Open play, Valiente (4-0) made short work of ERG (2-2) in a
10-8 win that wasn’t as close as the score might indicate.
After suffering a heart-breaking 13-12 overtime loss to
Valiente in Sunday’s feature match, Zorzal needed to score a win against
Coca-Cola if they had any hope of advancing in the tournament.
Zorzal 7-goaler Mariano Gonzalez scored the first goal of
the game on a penalty conversion in the opening twenty seconds of the first
chukker. Coca-Cola wasted little time in
responding as 9-goaler Julio Arellano scored three consecutive goals to lift
his team to a 3-1 lead.
A goal from team captain Gillian Johnston in the second
stretched the Coca-Cola lead to three goals, 4-1. Gonzalez scored on a 40-yard penalty shot for
Zorzal, 4-2, and a goal from the field from Freddie Mannix had Zorzal within a
goal of Coca-Cola, 4-3. Sugar Erskine
closed out the scoring in the chukker with his first goal of the day to put
Coca-Cola in front, 5-3.
Three minutes into the third chukker Gonzalez scored on
his third penalty shot of the game to cut the Coca-Cola lead to a single goal,
5-4. Marianito Obregon scored his first
goal of the day on a beautifully-executed play that had his receiving a pass
Gonzalez and then flipping it through the Coca-Cola goalposts for a tying
score, 5-5, with just 3:10 left in the chukker.
Arellano put Coca-Cola back on top at the two minute mark with a penalty
conversion for the 6-5 halftime advantage.
Coca-Cola took control in the opening chukker of the
second half, with Arellano converting a 40-yard penalty shot for a goal and
Johnston scoring her second goal of the match.
A vigilant defense kept Zorzal from scoring as Coca-Cola got some
breathing room with a three goal, 8-5 advantage.
Obregon cut into the Coca-Cola lead with a penalty
conversion in the first minute of the fifth chukker. Zorzal got additional scores from Gonzalez
and Mannix, but Coca-Cola was up to the challenge, adding goals from Johnston
and Arellano (penalty goal). With one
chukker left in regulation time, Coca-Cola held a two goal lead, 10-8.
A goal from Obregon in the first minute of the sixth
chukker cut the Coca-Cola lead to a single goal, 10-9, but Coke was up to the
challenge. After responding with a
penalty goal from Arellano, they played keep-away from Zorzal for much of the
remaining match. Jason Crowder managed goal
at the 3:31 mark, but despite deep drives and near goals, that would be their
last goal of the game in an 11-10 Coca-Cola victory.
Arellano led all scoring with seven goals (four on
penalty shots). Johnston scored three
times and Erskine added a goal in the win.
Gonzalez scored three of his four goals for Zorzal on penalty shots. Obregon added three goals to the mix; Mannix accounted
for two and Crowder scored once in the loss.
VALIENTE
10, ERG 8
In a game that was over shortly after it began, Valiente
ran its record to 4-0 with a 10-8 win over an ERG team that was clearly outgunned.
The pace was quick from the onset, with neither team
scoring in the opening two minutes of play.
Santi Torres finally got Valiente on the scoreboard with a penalty
conversion for a goal at the 5:01 mark of the first chukker. Agustin Merlos answered with a goal from the
field just a minute later for a 1-1 tie.
Torres scored again at 2:33 and Adolfo Cambiaso made his presence known
as he drove the ball through the goalposts with 1:39 left in the chukker to go
up 3-1.
Merlos and Torres exchanged penalty goals in the second
period, and Torres added a closing goal with six seconds left in the
chukker. The Valiente lead grew to three
goals, 5-2.
Cambiaso opened the third chukker with a goal followed by
a goal from Bob Jornayvaz for a 7-2 Valiente led. Torres converted his third penalty goal of
the game with just 35 seconds on the clock and Valiente rode off the field with
a commanding 8-2 lead.
“It was over in the fourth chukker,†said Valiente
10-goaler Pelon Stirling. “The second
half of the game we had an opportunity to work the horses and prepare them for
the quarterfinals.â€
Both teams returned to the field for the fourth chukker,
but it was evident to all in attendance that ERG had thrown in the towel and
Valiente was just giving their horses a good run.
ERG team captain Scott Wood sat down for the duration of
the game, sending in sixteen-year-old Wesley Bryan in his stead.
Merlos and Torres exchanged goals in the opening three
minutes of the second half, 9-3. Eduardo
Novillo Astrada scored his first goal of the game in the final 41 seconds of
the fourth. ERG trailed by five goals,
9-4.
Paco de Narvaez cut the Valiente lead to four goals as he
took the opening throw-in 150 yards down the field for a goal. Bryan scored his first goal of the day at
2:22, and the chukker ended with Valiente on top, 9-6.
Astrada cut the Valiente lead to two goals, 9-7, with a
well-earned goal, but Valiente was not pressing their attack. A goal from Cambiaso at the midway point of
the sixth had them ahead by three, 10-7.
Bryan managed his second goal of the game with 2:28 in the game, and
that’s where it ended. Valiente
celebrated the 10-8 victory.
Torres scored six times (three on penalty shots) to lead
the Valiente attack on the day. Cambiaso
accounted for three goals and Jornayvaz scored once for the win. Merlos scored three goals for ERG. Astrada and Bryan scored two goals apiece and
de Narvaez added a goal in a losing effort.