MetalTek holds on to win Haas Cup, 12–11

MetalTek holds on to win Haas Cup, 12-11

By Alex Webbe

 

MetalTek handed Equuleus a 12-11 defeat in the finals of
the George Haas Cup, the subsidiary tournament of the Ylvisaker Cup Sunday
afternoon at the International Polo Club in Wellington.

In a 2-2 opening chukker, MetalTek’s Carlucho Arellano
scored twice (once from the field and once on a penalty shot).  Mariano Gonzalez and Brandon Phillips
responded with single goals (Gonzalez converted a 40-yard penalty shot for a
goal).  The first chukker ended in a 2-2
tie.

MetalTek erupted with three straight goals in the second
period.  Argentine 9-goaler Sebastian Merlos
scored twice while teammate Arellano added a goal.  Paco de Narvaez added a goal for Equuleus but
they trailed 5-3.

The Equuleus defense shut out MetalTek in the third
chukker while picking up single goals from Phillips and de Narvaez.  At the end of the first half, the teams were
deadlocked at 5-5.

Gonzalez scored to put Equuleus on top of a 6-5 lead, when
the MetalTek offense exploded.  Stevie Orthwein
scored his first goal of the game, followed by goals from Merlos and Arellano
(60-yard penalty shot). MetalTek led 8-6 after four periods of play.

Orthwein/s second goal of the day had MetalTek ahead,
9-6.  Gonzalez and Phillips scored single
goals to cut the lead to a single goal, 9-8. 
Arellano scored to extend the MetalTek lead to two goals, 10-8.  De Narvaez scored the final goal of the
period, but Equuleus continued to trail MetalTek 10-9.

  Arellano scored
the first goal of the sixth chukker for a 12-9 MetalTek advantage, but Equuleus
fought back.  A goal from the field from
Phillips and a penalty goal from Gonzalez tied it up at 11-11.   Merlos
scored the 12-11 go-ahead goal with 1:05 left to play but Equuleus continued to
press the attack.  A missed scoring
opportunity by both Phillips and de Narvaez ended the threat as time expired in
the 12-11 MetalTek victory.

Arellano led the field in scoring with six goals.  Merlos scored four times and Orthwein added a
pair of goal s for the win.

Phillips and Gonzalez scored four goals apiece for
Equuleus.  De Narvaez added three goals
in a losing effort.

Carlucho Arellano was named MVP while Sebastian Merlos’s ten-year-old
stallion, Anselmo, received Best
Playing Pony honors.