Little Owl scores OT win to qualify for semifinals

Little Owl Scores OT win to qualify for Semis


By Alex Webbe


In one of the best games of the competition, J. P. Uihlein scored the overtime goal to lift Little Owl to an 11-10 win over Villa de Lago and secure a berth in the semifinals against Valiente on Wednesday, March 23 at the International Polo Club in Wellington.


Villa de Lago got off to a quick start, garnering goals from Jarod Zenni and Facundo Obregon before Little Owl could respond.  A single goal from Uihlein ended the chukker with Villa de Lago holding a narrow 2-1 lead.


Little Owl got on track in the second, shutting out the Villa de Lago offense and adding three goals of its own. Goals from Chris Nevins and Uihlein paved the way, a third goal from Jason Crowder on a penalty shot had Little Owl out in front, 4-2.


Villa de Lago turned the tables on Little Owl in the third.  Four straight goals (two from Agustin Obregon and two from Pelon Escapite) had Little Owl trailing 6-4.  Crowder scored a final goal from the field to end the first half.  Villa de Lago left the field with a 6-5 advantage.


Villa de Lago built on the lead in the fourth.  Goals from Agustin Obregon and Escapite had Villa de Lago ahead, 8-5.  Nevins picked up his first goal from the field to end the period trailing Villa de Lago, 8-6.


The teams traded goals in the fifth.  Facundo Obregon put the ball through the goal posts from the field while Nevins got Little Owl on the scoreboard with a penalty conversion.  After five chukkers of play Villa de Lago led 9-7.


Little Owl pulled out all the stops n the sixth period.  Joe Wayne Barry scored his first goal of the game to cut the Villa de Lago lead to a single goal, 9-8.  Crowder tied it up at 9-9 with his third goal of the match, but Escapite made good on a penalty shot for Villa de Lago for a 10-9 advantage.  Nevins evened it up with a 40-yard penalty conversion, resulting in sudden-death overtime.


After less than two minutes of play in the overtime chukker, J. P. Uihlein scored the winning goal on a shot from the field, and Little Owl found itself on the winning end of an 11-10 score and a semifinalist in the 2011 Everglades Classic.