Lucchese outlasts Piaget 11-9
ByAlex Webbe
Lucchese scored their second consecutive win in the 2012Joe Barry Memorial Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington Saturdayafternoon as they rolled over Piaget 11-9. Pelon Stirling set the pace in the early going, scoring six of his sevengoals in the first half.
Lucchese received one goal by handicap and wasted littletime in building a 4-0 lead in the first chukker. Stirling scored the first goal of the gamefrom the field and teammate Andres Weisz added another for a 3-0 lead. Stirling added another goal as Lucchese wentup 4-0 before Piaget responded. MiguelAstrada answered for Piaget with a 40-yard penalty conversion and a goal fromthe field. The first chukker ended withLucchese boasting a 4-2 advantage.
Stirling and Astrada exchanged goals for the only scoringin the second period and Lucchese held on to a two goal, 5-3 score.
Piaget team captain Melissa Ganzi cut the Lucchese leadto a single goal, 5-4, to open the third chukker, but Stirling proved up to thechallenge. The Argentine 9-goaler peeledoff three consecutive goals (two from the field one on a penalty conversion)followed by a period ending goal from teammate Santiago Torres. After three chukkers of play, Lucchese held afive goal, 9-4 lead.
Piaget continued to press the attack at the second halfbegan. Lucchese fouls put Astrada at thepenalty line where he converted two penalty shots for goals. With time running out, however, Stirlingconnected on a steeply angled neckshot to end the chukker. Lucchese continued to lead Piaget by a 10-6score.
Piaget ratcheted up its defense in the fifth chukker,shutting out the dangerous Lucchese attack, but was unable to put any points onthe scoreboard. After five periods, thescore had Lucchese in front, 10-6.
After just one minute of play in the final chukker of thegame, a Lucchese foul put Astrada back at the penalty line where he converted apenalty shot for a goal. Less than aminute later, Astrada scored on a second consecutive penalty shot and theLucchese lead was cut down to two goals, 10-8. Astrada’s third goal of the period had Piaget within a goal of Lucchese,10-9, but that was where the rally ended. With time running out, Santiago Torres scored the final goal of the gamein the 11-9 win.
Piaget’s Astrada led all scoring with eight goals. Ganzi accounted for the only other Piagetgoal.
Stirling led Lucchese in scoring with seven goals. Torres scored twice and Weisz added a singlegoal.