Patagones Wins in OT, Will Face Audi in Title Game
By Alex Webbe
Patagones jumped out to a 6-2 halftime lead before GTP Polo stormed back in the first round of the 2009 Tato’s Custom Mallet Cup at Grand Champions Polo Club to earn a berth in Sunday’s finals.
Gonzalo Avendano scored the only goal of the first chukker as both teams struggled to put any effective offense together. Goals from J. J. Celis and Leo Mandelbaum had Patagones up 3-0 after two chukkers as GTP Polo still couldn’t find the range on its shots to goal.
Two consecutive third chukker goals from Joey Casey stretched the Patagones lead to 5-0 before GTP found its way on the scoreboard, with Luis Escobar scoring two straight goals. Celis ended the scoring in the first half with a goal to put Patagones on top of a 6-2 score.
Escobar added his third goal of the game to open the second half and a penalty conversion by team captain Marc Ganzi cut the Patagones lead to a pair of goals, 6-4.
Goals from Trevor Allen and Ganzi tied the game at 6-6 before Celis gave Patagones the go-ahead goal to end the chukker.
Both teams battled up and down the field in the final chukker until with less than two minutes to play, GTP Polo’s Stevie Orthwein hit the ball through the goal posts to tie the score force an overtime shootout.
Gonzalo Avendano took the first penalty shot, converting it for a goal. GTP team captain Marc Ganzi took his shot and watched the ball carry just to the left of the goal posts, resulting in the 8-7 Patagones win.
J. J. Celis led Patagones with three goals while teammates Casey and Avendano accounted for two goals apiece. Leo Mandelbaum added a single goal in the win.
Luis Escobar scored three times for GTP. Ganzi scored twice and Allen and Orthwein added single goals.
AUDI 10, QUANTEK 6
In earlier action, Audi scored a convincing 10-6 over Quantek, earning the right to meet Patagones in the tournament finals on Sunday.
Leading from start to finish, Audi relied on four goals from Charlie Muldoon to lead it to a 5-3 halftime lead.
Quantek staged a mini-rally in the third chukker, with a second goal from Javier Guerra and a sole goal from Kris Kampsen, but it was definitely a day that belonged to Audi.
Fourth chukker goals from Melissa Ganzi, Muldoon and Marianno Gracida had Audi ahead 8-3 before Kampsen ended the chukker with a goal for Quantek to trail 8-4.
Goals from Peter Rizzo and Kampsen were all that Quantek could come up with in the fifth period with Melissa Ganzi scoring Audi’s only goal of the chukker as they rode a 906 lead into the final seven minutes of play.
As Quantek struggled to find any offensive punch, Muldoon added the final goal of the game to give Audi the 10-6 win.
Muldoon led all scoring with four goals. Teammates Melissa Ganzi and Marianno Gracida each scored three times.
Kampsen led Quantek with three goals. Javier Guerra scored twice and Peter Rizzo added a single goal in the loss.
Sunday’s action will begin with a consolation match at 10 am between GTP Polo and Quantek while Audi and Patagones will fight it out for the tournament championship at noon.