Pancho Bensadon scored the winning goal in the first minute of overtime in leading EFG Bank to an 11-10 win in the opening round of play in the 20-goal 2010 Herbie Pennell Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington.
Luis Escobar of EFG Bank and Nacho Figueras of Audi Polo. Photo by Gregory Ratner - http://ratnersportsphotography.com
In a slow starting contest that saw only two goals scored in the opening chukker, the intensity of the match increased with every minute of play. An opening goal from Luis Escobar put EFG Bank on top 1-0 in the first period before Kris Kampsen converted a penalty shot for Audi to end the chukker.
Andres Weisz and Escobar added goals to the EFG Bank total in the second frame while the defense held Audi to a single goal from Kampsen. EFG Bank left the field with a narrow 3-2 lead.
The third chukker provided a lot of fireworks as both teams battled for field position and possession of the ball. At one point seven technical fouls were called and EFG’s Bensadon and Audi’s Nacho Figueras were sent off the field by the umpires. The teams ended the chukker playing with three-man teams, and knotting up the score at 4-4.
Cooler heads prevailed in the fourth chukker as the teams traded the first four goals of the period. Escobar converted a penalty shot followed by a goal from the field from Audi’s Sugar Erskine. Escobar answered with another penalty shot for a one goal, 6-5 lead, but Audi came back with a goal from the field by Kampsen. With time running out, Escobar carried the ball through the Audi defense and stroked it through the goal as the horn sounded to end the chukker. EFG Bank led 7-6.
Audi rallied in the fifth with a pair of goals by Kampsen and a single goal from Figueras for a 9-7 Audi advantage, but the celebration was short-lived.
A penalty shot from Escobar and a goal from the field by Andres Weisz as the horn sounded to end the chukker had the score all even after five chukkers, 9-9.
Bensadon scored his first goal of the game in the sixth chukker to put EFG Bank ahead, 10-9, but Audi wasn’t ready to roll over yet. A great effort by Erskine had it all even once again, 10-10, as the horn sounded to end regulation play.
The overtime chukker lasted little more than a minute when Bensadon hammered the ball through the Audi goal for the win.
Kampsen led all scoring with seven goals. Teammate Erskine scored twice and Figueras added a goal in the loss.
Escobar scored six times for EFG Bank. Weisz added three goals and Bensadon scored two goals in the victory.
BENDABOUT 8, EQUULEUS 5
Bendabout made short work of the debut of the Equuleus team in high-goal polo this season knocking them out of the Herbie Pennell Cup in the opening round by an 8-5 score.
In the single-elimination competition, Bendabout shot out to an early 6-1 halftime score before coasting to the final 8-5 victory margin.
In a whistle-laden game that saw Bendabout 9-goaler Nick Roldan convert five penalty shots for goals in the first two chukkers, Equuleus would be held to a single penalty goal in the first half before getting a goal from the field in the fourth chukker from Adam Snow.
Mariano Gonzalez scored the third goal of the game for Equuleus on a penalty while holding Bendabout scoreless to end the fourth chukker trailing 6-3.
Bendabout got single foals from Gillian Johnston and Ulysses Escapite in the fifth, as Equuleus struggled to get back into the game. Gonzalez converted another penalty shot, but Bendabout continued to hold on to an 8-4 edge with a single chukker to play.
Equuleus continued to try and get back into contention in the final chukker, but Bendabout had the upper hand. Bendabout took home an 8-5 win while Equuleus was eliminated from further cup play.
LAS MONJITAS 8, HAWKS 7
In the opening Herbie Pennell match of the day, Las Monjitas scored an 8-7 win over the Hawks in the Pennell Cup.
Showing choppy play and a lack of either team to get into rhythm, Las Monjitas rode off to a 6-3 first half score. Goals from Fred Mannix, Jr. and Cachi Garcia-Velez were countered by a single goal from Las Monjitas 7-goaler Pablo Pieres, but the Hawks continued to trail, 7-5.
Mounted on their best, the Hawks scored two unanswered goals in the fifth period as Mariano Aguerre cut the lead to a single goal when he converted a penalty shot. Julian Mannix tied it up, 7-7, with his third goal of the game as the chukker ended.
Pablo Pieres scored his third goal of the game for the only offense of the final chukker as Las Monjitas took the game, 8-7.
Tournament play will continue at the International Polo club in Wellington on Thursday with the opening games of the 2010 C. V. Whitney Cup.
In the opening round of 26-goal competition, Piaget will meet Orchard Hill at 11 am followed by a 3 pm match featuring 2009 defending champion Audi and Lechuza Caracas.