Semifinalsset for Ylvisaker Cup
ByAlex Webbe
Villa Del Lago got off to a strong start in Sunday’s firstYlvisaker Cup quarterfinal at the International Polo Club in Wellington, but it was Audi that rode off with the 14-9 win. MagooLaprida scored the first two goals of the game, converting a penalty goalhalfway into the opening chukker and following it up with a goal from the fieldtwo minutes later. Nico Pieres kept Audifrom being shut out with a goal in the last minute of the period to trail, 2-1.
Pieres took the opening throw-in of the second chukkerand raced down the field to score the tying goal, 2-2, and Nic Roldan put Audiin front with his first goal f the game, 3-2. Laprida evened the score at 3-3 halfway through the period. An Audi foulgave Villa Del Lago a boost when the Umpires awarded them with a Penalty 1, afree goal on a foul in the Audi goal mouth. The second period ended with Villa Del Lago leading 4-3.
Jared Zenni scored for Villa Del Lago in the opening 30seconds of the third followed by a pair of penalty conversions from Laprida asAudi found themselves trailing, 7-3. Another Penalty 1 was awarded in the final two minutes of the chukker,but this time it went in favor of Audi, 7-4. Thirty seconds later Pieres cut the Vila Del Lago lead to a pair ofgoals, 7-5, to end the first half.
Audi raced into the field in the second half, kicking itoff with a goal from Roldan in the opening seconds of play, 7-6. Pieres complimented it with a goal from thefield that was followed by a penalty conversion from Roldan for an 8-7advantage. Laprida managed to tie it upat 8-8 to end the chukker.
Laprida’s seventh goal of the morning had Villa Del Lagoahead, 8-7 when the Audi attack kicked in. Roldan scored on a pair of neck shots and added a 60-yard penaltyconversion for an 11-9 lead with a bewildered Vila Del Lago repairing to thetrailers to obtain fresh mounts for the final period of play.
Roldan’s fourth consecutive opened the sixth chukker withanother goal to give Audi a three goal cushion, 12-9. Pieres added another goal two minutes laterand Roldan wrapped it up with his eighth goal of the match in a 14-9 win.
Roldan led the field in scoring with eight goals, four onpenalty shots. Pieres added five goalswith the team picking up a goal on a foul. Laprida registered seven goals in the Villa Del Lago effort, three onpenalty shots; Zenni added a goal and the team received one goal on a penalty.
COCA-COLA12, ZACARA 10
Zacara 10-goaler Facundo Pieres got his team rollingearly, scoring twice in the opening chukker of their quarterfinal showdown withCoca-Cola before a second half collapse saw them lose 12-10.
Pieres and Coca-Cola’s Julio Arellano traded goals in thefirst chukker with each player scoring twice from the field for the early 2-2gridlock.
Three more goals from Pieres in the second period movedZacara out to a 5-4 lead as Pieres scored twice from the field and added apenalty conversion for a goal as well. Arellanokept Coca-Cola in the race with a pair of penalty goals of his own but trailedby a single goal, 5-4.
Both defenses stiffened in the third with Arellanoconverting a 40-yard penalty shot for a goal and a 5-5 tie in the openingseconds of the period before watching Zacara team captain Lyndon Lea and Pieres add single goals for the 7-5halftime lead.
For all intents and purposes, Zacara gave the game away inthe fourth chukker.
Coca-Cola’s 7-goaler Sugar Erskine and Facundo Pieresexchanged goals in the opening two minutes of the fourth chukker before Arellanoscored on four unanswered goals for a 10-8 lead with two chukkers left inregulation time.
Arellano’s tenth goal of the game came on a penalty shotin the fifth chukker. Zacara was able todo little more than respond with a penalty goal from Pieres. Coca-Cola carried the 11-9, two goal leadinto the sixth period.
Zacara had their chances in the final chukker of thematch with the sure-shot Pieres missing on a 30-yard penalty shot and leavinganother near-goal on the doorstep of the Coca-Cola goal before clearing it outof the area. With time running out,Coca-Cola’s Gillian Johnston picked up the ball and raced down the field whereshe scored her first goal of the game for the 12-10 victory.
Arellano led all scoring with an impressive ten goals onthe day. Six of his goals came on penaltyshots. Erskine and Johnston added singlegoals for the win. Pieres scored ninetimes for Zacara and team captain, Lyndon Lea, added a goal in the loss.
LECHUZASENDS ERG PACKING, EARNS SEMIFINAL BERTH
Lechuza Caracas needed a win to move into Wednesday’ssemifinals of the 20-goal Ylvisaker Cup and managed to do just that in their 10-7win over an aggressive ERG lineup.
ERG team captain Scott Wood scored the first goal of thegame on a penalty conversion less than two minutes into the game, but LechuzaCaracas fired right back with Polito Pieres scoring a penalty goal of their ownfor the 1-1 tie. With two minutes and fortyseconds left in the period, Adam Snow gave Lechuza Caracas their first lead ofthe game, 2-1 to end the chukker.
Pieres added another penalty goal in the second on apenalty shot and then laced a pin-point pass to team captain Victor Vargas whoscored to give Lechuza Caracas a 4-1 lead. ERG was held scoreless.
Vargas sent a pass to a racing Pieres in the third periodfor a 5-1 advantage before ERG fired back. Consecutive goals (one from the field and one on a penalty shot) from Pacode Narvaez closed out the chukker with Lechuza Caracas leaving the field at theend of the first half with a 5-3 edge.
The two teams exchanged goals again in the fourth periodwith ERG’s hector Galindo adding a pair of goals from the field while PolitoPieres scored twice, once from the field and once on a penalty shot for a goal. With two chukkers left to play Lechuzacontinued to maintain a two goal lead, 7-5.
Goals were scare in the fifth period as both teams sweptup and down the field with nothing to show for it. Former 10-goaler Snow managed to tap the ballthrough the ERG goal posts with nine seconds left on the clock to put LechuzaCaracas ahead, 8-5.
The pace continued in the final period of the game withthe two teams exchanging goals one last time. Blake and de Narvaez scored single goals form ERG while Pieres scored apair of goals from the field for the 10-7 win.
Pieres led all scoring with seven goals (three on penaltyshots) and was named MVP for his efforts. Snow was credited with a pair of goals and Vargas added a goal for thewin. ERG’s balanced attack came upshort, with de Narvaez registering three goals (one on a penaltyconversion). Galindo scored twice andWood and Blake added single goals in a losing effort.
The victory sends Lechuza Caracas into Wednesday’ssemifinals against Coca-Cola.
LUCCHESERALLIES FOR 12-11 WIN OVER PIAGET
Lucchese played the last Ylvisaker Cup quarterfinal atthe International Polo Club and overcame a 11-9, two goal deficit in the fifthchukker to score a come-from-behind 12-11 win over Piaget to quality forWednesday’s tournament semifinals against Audi.
Argentine 9-goaler Sebastian Merlos was sidelined fromthe Lucchese team (cracked rib), but his younger brother Agustin seemed to fillin quite nicely, at the end of the game Agustin Merlos had scored ten times (fourtimes on penalty conversions) for the win.
The 19-goal Piaget team received one goal by handicap fromthe 20-goal Lucchese foursome and quickly added to it with a 60-yard penaltygoal from Miguel Astrada. Merlosresponded for Lucchese with consecutive goals from the field, and teammate KrisKampsen scored his first goal of the day for a 3-2 lead. Astrada added another penalty goal to end thechukker in a 3-3 tie.
Astrada added another goal from the field for Piaget but Merlosfired back by scoring on a 40-yard and a 60-yard penalty shot for goals. The second period ended with Lucchese on top,5-4.
The Piaget attack got on track in the third chukker withJoaquin scoring his first goal of the match and Astrada adding a pair of goalson penalty conversions for a 7-6 halftime advantage. Merlos managed a single penalty goal for Lucchese.
Fourth chukker goals from Melissa Ganzi and Juan Bolliniwere answered by a single goal from Merlos. Piaget extended its lead to two goals, 9-7.
Astrada’s sixth goal of the day gave Piaget a three goallead in the fifth, 10-7. Merloscountered with a pair of goals from the field, cutting the Piaget led to asingle goal, 10-9. Astrada scored thefinal goal of the chukker as Piaget held its two goal advantage, 11-9, with onechukker left in regulation play.
The final chukker belonged to Lucchese as they scoredthree unanswered goals for the 12-11 win. Merlos scored the first goal of the period on a 60-yard penaltyconversion, cutting the Piaget lead to a single goal, 11-10. Teammate Andres Weisz scored his first goalof the afternoon to knot it up at 11-11 and Merlos, fittingly, scored the winninggoal, 12-11, with his tenth goal of the day.
Merlos led all scoring with his ten goals. Kampsen and Weisz added single goals for thevictory. Astrada set the pace for Piagetwith seven goals. Panelo, Ganzi and Bolliniadded single goals in the loss.
The victory boosts Lucchese into Wednesday’s YlvisakerCup semifinals against Audi.