Equuleus
scored last chukker win over Heathcote in Bridgehampton
By Alex Webbe
Equuleus
spotted Heathcote three goals by handicap and tied it up at 5-5 at the end of
the first half, but needed three goals in the final chukker to take the 11-9
win Tuesday afternoon in Hampton Cup play at the Bridgehampton Polo Club on
Long Island.
Kris Kampsen
opened the scoring with a goal from the field for Equuleus. Teammate Mariano Gonzalez added another while
shutting down the Heathcote offense. The
first chukker ended with Heathcote holding on to a 3-2 lead, but showing no
offensive punch.
Goals from
Tommy Biddle and Naco Taverna extended the Heathcote lead to 5-2 in the second
chukker, with Kampsen managing to sneak a single goal through the goal posts to
keep the Equuleus attack from stalling.
The period ended with Heathcote leading by two goals, 5-3.
Heathcote
found itself on the defensive in the third, committing a couple of costly
fouls. Gonzalez converted both
opportunities while helping his teammates cut the legs out from under the
Heathcote offense. The score stood all
even at 5-5 at halftime.
“We had some
opportunities, but we just didn’t take advantage of them,†offered Biddle. “It was a very competitive match,†he added.
Biddle put
Heathcote ahead, 6-5, with a penalty conversion to open the second half of
play. Kampsen tied it up again, 6-6,
with his third goal from the field.
Heathcote team captain Steve Lefkowitz ended the scoring in the period
with his first goal of the game, leaving Equuleus trailing 7-6 with one chukker
left to play.
The Equuleus
defense earned it pay as Heathcote was blanked for the third time in the
match. Kampsen converted a penalty shot for
a goal and Mariano Obregon scored from the field as Equuleus took its first
lead of the game, 8-7.
Biddle tied
it up in the sixth on a 40-yard penalty shot but Gonzalez answered back with a
pair of goals (one by penalty, one from the field) for Equuleus for a 10-8, two
goal lead. Lefkowitz tallied his second
score of the game to bring Heathcote to within a goal, 10-9, before Kampsen’s
fifth goal of the afternoon closed the door on the Heathcote rally in the 11-9
Equuleus victory.
“The field
cut up a bit,†said Biddle, “making it a bit difficult. But it was the same for both teams. I was happy with the way the team played,†he
added, “but not happy about the loss.â€
Gonzalez and
Kampsen scored five goals apiece in the win.
Obregon added a goal.
Biddle
scored three times for Heathcote.
Lefkowitz added two goals and Taverna scored once in a losing effort.
The win
gives Equuleus a 2-0 record while Heathcote slips to 1-1.
Hampton Cup
play continues on Wednesday with Certified (0-1) slated to play KIG (0-1) at
3pm followed by a 5pm match featuring Circa (0-1) and White Birch (1-0).