Iglehart Cup: Patagonia vs Lechusa Caracas

February 5, 2009 Game Reports 0

Carlos Gracida Leads Patagones to OT Win in Iglehart Cup Action


By Alex Webbe


 


Showing 10-goal form, the legendary Carlos Gracida scored two goals in the final chukker of play and the winning goal in overtime as Patagones rebounded from a two goal deficit to score a 13-12 win over Lechuza Caracas in Iglehart Cup action at the International Polo Club in Wellington.


 


“I felt that when we tied it in the sixth chukker, the momentum was with us,” said Carlos Gracida.


 


Carlos Gracida three goals in the first two chukkers of play as Patagones built a 6-3 halftime lead.


 


Lechuza tried to get back into the game in the fourth chukker relying on two penalty goals from Nicolas Espain while holding Patagones to a single goal from Julio Gracida, but the fifth chukker would be all Lechuza.


 


Lechuza’s Santiago Toccalino opened the scoring in the fifth chukker but was promptly countered by a goal from Carlos Gracida.  Lechuza responded with three consecutive goals from Nicolas Espain, Guille Aguero and Victor Vargas, taking a 9-8 lead to end the chukker.


 


Espain put Lechuza up 10-8 in the sixth period before Julio Gracida’s penalty shot cut the lead back to a single goal, 10-9.  Two more goals from Espain had Lechuza up 12-9 with just over three minutes left in regulation play. 


 


Carlos Avendano scored a single goal that was followed by two penalty conversions from Carlos Gracida, and time expired with the teams locked at 12-12.


“I felt we had the game when we tied them in the sixth,” said Julio Gracida.  “We didn’t miss the shots we had to make,” he added, “we took advantage of our opportunities, and I thought that was the difference.”


 


Carlos Gracida returned to the field in sudden-death overtime with his aptly named gray mare, Legend, and with less than two minutes gone in the chukker scored the winning goal.


Carlos Gracida led all scoring with eight goals.  Julio Gracida scored three times and Carlos Avendano added two goals in the Patagones win.


 


Nicolas Espain led Lechuza with seven goals.  Santiago Toccalino and Victor Vargas scored two goals apiece while Guille Aguero added a single goal.


Iglehart action continues on Friday with three games.  San Saba (1-0) will play


Audi (1-0) at 11am; Lucchese (0-1) meets Mt. Brilliant (0-0) at 1pm; and Isla Carroll will face EFG Bank at 3pm.