By Alex Webbe
Lucchese scored an 11-10 win in Ylvisaker Cup play Wednesday afternoon at the International Polo Club in Wellington, but needed sudden-death overtime to do it.
Faraway spotted Lucchese one goal by handicap and then quickly took the lead in the first chukker on goals from Julio Arellano and Gaston Laulhe, 2-1. Lucchese stormed back, scoring three straight goals (Andres Weisz, Kris Kampsen and Luis Escobar) and riding off the field with a 4-2 edge.
“We tried to pressure them defensively from the very beginning,” said Kampsen, “and we got good results from it. We slacked off a bit later in the game,” he added, and allowed them back into the game.”
Two penalty goals from Escobar had Lucchese up 6-2, but Faraway closed out the chukker with individual goals from the field from Laulhe and Julio Gracida. Lucchese held the lead at 6-4.
Faraway took control in the third chukker, shutting down the Lucchese offense while putting three goals on the scoreboard (one from Arellano and two from Gracida on penalty shots) with Faraway taking a 7-6 halftime lead.
Arellano scored first in the fourth, but penalty conversions from Kampsen and Escobar knotted it up at 8-8 as both teams struggled for control of the match.
The teams exchanged penalty goals in the fifth, with Kampsen converting for Lucchese to tie the game and Gracida, and the teams went into the sixth chukker all even at 9-9.
Escobar scored his fifth goal of the game in the sixth to put Lucchese up, 10-9, but Faraway cranked up its attack, forcing a Lucchese foul. Arellano converted the penalty shot and the teams were forced into a sudden-death overtime chukker.
It was nearly three minutes into the overtime when Faraway (0-2) was whistled for a foul. Kampsen converted the penalty shot for Lucchese (2-0) for the winning goal, 11-10.
“We played well in the early chukkers,” said Luis Escobar, “but let them get back into the game in the third, We got away from our game plan, and it came back to bite us,” he added. When we settled back down, and played defense like we did earlier, we got control of the game back.”
Escobar led all scoring with five goals. Kampsen scored three goals on penalty shots and a goal from the field for a total of four, and Andres Weisz added a goal in the win.
Julio Gracida and Julio Arellano scored four goals apiece for Faraway. Gaston Laulhe added two goals in the losing effort.
PATAGONES 11, VALIENTE 8
“Memo gave a perfect example of how to play the Number 2 position today,” said 8-goaler Carlos Gracida. “He pushed, carried the ball and scored. He did it all,” said the former 10-goaler, and Carlos should know. He played with older brother Memo for decades, registering wins in tournament after tournament.
Memo Gracida showed everyone that he still had it as the former 10-goaler scored six times in leading Patagones to an 11-8 win over Valiente.
The Hall of Famer scored on a couple of long runs (one, the length of the field) as well as well-positioned shots near goal (including a beautifully delivered backhander from an angle) as he pressed the Patagones team to victory.
Carlos Avendano scored the first goal of the game for Patagones, but was answered by goals from Argentine 9-goaler Miguel Astrada and Jeff Hall (penalty conversion), taking an early 2-1 lead.
The second chukker was all Patagones, as Gracida scored three times from the field, including a run the length of the field that resulted in a goal. Carlos Avendano added his second goal of the game on a penalty shot. Shutout defense by the Patagones had them leaving the field after the second period with a 5-2 advantage.
Patagones added three more goals in the third, with Gracida tallying his fourth goal from the field. Teammate Carlos Avendano added a penalty goal and a goal from the field for an 8-3 lead. Valiente (0-1) picked up a goal on a penalty shot by Hall.
Patagones was held scoreless for the first time all afternoon in the fourth chukker while Hall scored three times for Valiente (one from the field, two on penalty shots), and the Patagones lead was cut to two goals, 8-6.
Gonzalo Avendano scored the only goal of the fifth chukker for Patagones while Valiente’s Hall converted his fifth penalty shot for a goal. Patagones (1-1) took the 9-7 lead into the final chukker.
Astrada scored his second goal of the game in the sixth, to cut the lead to a single goal, but back-to-back goals from Gracida slammed the door on the rally attempt and gave the game to Patagones, 11-8.
“We didn’t get anything going today,” said Valiente’s Miguel Astrada. “It was our first game together, and we just didn’t get any rhythm going until towards the end. We’ll play better next time,” he added.
Jeff Hall scored seven goals for Valiente (five on penalty shots). Miguel Astrada added a goal in the sixth chukker.
Gracida scored five times. Carlos Avendano added four and teammates Gonzalo Avendano and Martin Donovan added single goals in the win.
Patagones improved its record to 1-1 in Ylvisaker Cup play while Valiente fell to 0-1.
Competition will continue in the tournament with a 3:30 pm Thursday game scheduled between ERG (1-0) and Zacara (0-1).