Lechuza Caracas scores win; moves into semifinals
By Alex Webbe
Lechuza Caracas scored an 8-7 win over Las Monjitas to earn a berth in Thursday’s semifinals of the 2010 United States Open Championship Monday afternoon. Wet grounds and a threatening sky were ominous signs, but the teams got through six chukkers of polo before the first afternoon raindrop fell.
Wet fields at the International Polo club caused the 11:30 am match to be played on the grounds of the Lechuza Caracas facility in Wellington, and ominous dark clouds threatened the game throughout.
The first two chukkers of play were uneventful, with the teams being tied 2-2 going into the third frame.
Tight defenses weren’t as prevalent as inept offenses as neither team managed a goal until 5:01 of the chukker. Sapo Caset scored his second goal of the game followed by teammate Juan Martin Nero’s first goal of the game, and Lechuza took a 4-2 halftime lead.
Caset scored two more goals in the fourth while Las Monjitas managed a single goal from Javier Astrada. The period ended with Lechuza holding on to a 6-3 lead.
Alejandro “Negro†Astrada got Las Monjitas back into the game in the fifth chukker with a pair of converted penalty shots, but Nero scored in the waning seconds of the period to keep Lechuza on top by two goals, 7-5.
Nero took a well-placed backhand pass from team captain Victor Vargas and tapped it through the goal posts with 5:30 gone in the final chukker, and it appeared to be over. Las Monjitas continued to press a very uncharacteristic attack for the Astradas, getting a single goal from Javier Astrada with 1:25 left to play. Negro Astrada scored the final goal as time expired and Lechuza took the game, 8-7.
Lechuza’s win moved them into Thursday’s 4 pm semifinal match against Audi. Valiente is scheduled to meet Crab Orchard in the earlier 2 pm semifinal.