Lechuza I Earns Berth in Wanderers Cup Finals
By Alex Webbe
Bendabout/First View led thru the first half of the final match of preliminary play in the 2011 14-goal Wanderers Classic at the International Polo Club Saturday afternoon, but lost second half momentum, being outscored 7-2 in the final three chukkers of play in the 10-7 Lechuza I victory.
“We had them going,†said Bendabout/First View’s Joe Meyer. “But they finally got it together in the second half, and rode off with the game.â€
Two goals from Julio Arellano in the first and second chukkers had Bendabout/First View up 4-2 after two chukkers. Gaston Lisioli scored a goal for Lechuza I in the first and Toto Collardin added a goal in the second.
Gillian Johnston scored her first goal of the game in the third, but was countered by a goal from Collardin. The first half ended with Bendabout/First View holding on a 5-3 lead.
Collardin added two more goals in the fourth and Lisioli added another goal for Lechuza while holding Bendabout/First View to a single goal from Mason Wroe for a 6-6 tie,
Matt Coppola scored Lechuza’s first goal of the fifth chukker, and moments later, Lisioli converted a penalty shot for another goal. Wroe converted a 40-yard shot for Bendabout/First View, but left the field trailing 8-7.
Lechuza continued its run in the sixth, getting goals from Collardin and Lisioli while holding Bendabout/First View scoreless. With Bendabout/First View struggling to mount an attack, time expired and Lechuza I celebrated the 10-7 win and a berth in Next Week’s Wanderers’ Classic finals against Julian Mannix and his Hawks team.
Collardin led the Lechuza attack with five goals. Lisioli added four and Coppola added one for the win.
Julio Arellano scored four times for Bendabout/First View. Wroe added two goals and Gillian Johnston scored once.
Bendabout/First View will meet Pony Express/Detroit blues in net Saturday’s consolation match.