By Alex Webbe
Marc Ganzi scored five goals in leading the Cinque Terre team to an 11-10 win over Piaget Friday afternoon to earn a berth in Sunday’s finals of the 2010 Pedro Morrison Memorial Cup at Grand Champions Polo Club at 3 pm.
Piaget received one goal by handicap and added to it with a goal from Kris Kampsen, but goals from Marc Ganzi and Alessandro Bazzoni had it all tied up at 2-2 at the end of the first chukker of play.
Marc Ganzi scored two goals in the second chukker for Cinque Terre and teammate Bazzoni added a goal, but a pair of goals from Kampsen and a single goal from Juan Badiola kept it all even at 5-5 after two chukkers.
Lucas scored his first goal of the game in the third to put Cinque Terre ahead, 6-5, but the lead was short-lived. Kampsen’s fourth goal of the day had it all locked up at 6-6 as the first half ended.
Cinque Terre flexed its muscles in the fourth, betting two more goals from Marc Ganzi and Nic Roldan’s first goal of the game for a 9-6 lead, as Piaget was held scoreless in the opening chukker of the second half.
Bazzoni scored Cinque Terre’s only goal of the chukker in the fifth for a 10-7 lead. Kampsen converted a penalty shot to end the chukker, with Piaget trailing 10-7.
Melissa Ganzi scored the opening goal of the final chukker, carrying the ball down the field and through the goal posts, cutting the Cinque Terre lead to two goals, 10-8, but Roldan put Cinque Terre ahead 11-8 with his second goal of the match. Kampsen and Gene Goldstein scored consecutive goals for Piaget, but time expired with Cinque Terre celebrating the 11-10 win.
Kampsen led all scoring with six goals. Teammates Melissa Ganzi, Badiola and Goldstein added single goals in the loss. Piaget received one goal by handicap from the fourteen-goal Cinque Terre foursome.
Marc Ganzi’s five goals set the pace for Cinque Terre. Bazzoni scored three times; Roldan added two goals to the pot, and Lucas Lalor accounted for a goal in the win.
PORT MAYACA 9, ELANGANI RANCH 7
Stevie Orthwein scored the only goal of the first chukker as Port Mayaca took a 1-0 lead over a punchless Elangani Ranch in the opening seven minutes of action in an earlier match in the Pedro Morrison Memorial Cup.
The disjointed Port Mayaca attack accounted for only five goals in the first half of play while allowing Elangani Ranch to stay in competition throughout much of the game.
“We really didn’t have the game I know we are capable of producing,” said J. J. Celis. “I think we have a balanced team and a great deal of talent on the team,” he added, “and we really should be getting more out of our efforts.”
Esteban Scott and Stevie Orthwein scored single goals in the second chukker for Port Mayaca, but Elangani Ranch 7-goaler, Hector Galindo, scored twice to trail, 3-2.
The two teams traded a couple of goals in the third chukker, with Port Mayaca riding off the field after the first half of play with a narrow 5-4 advantage.
Orthwein converted his second penalty shot of the game in the fourth, and Leo Mandelbaum scored his first goal of the game, with Elangani Ranch team captain Brian Street accounting for the only Elangani Ranch goal of the chukker. Port Mayaca expanded its lead to two goals, 6-4, as the period ended.
Mandelbaum added two more goals in the fifth, expanding the Port Mayaca lead to four goals, 9-5. Joey Casey scored his first goal of the game to close out the scoring in the fifth, as the chukker ended with Port Mayaca holding on to a 9-3 edge.
Defenses on both sides of the ball tightened; with Elangani team captain Brian Street accounting for the only goal of the final chukker. Time expired with Port Mayaca scoring a nine to seven win and the right to play Cinque Terre for the 2010 Pedro Memorial Cup Championship.
The finals f the Pedro Morrison Memorial Cup will take place between Cinque Terre and Port Mayaca at the Grand Champions Polo Club on Sunday, October 24 at 3 pm.
The consolation match is scheduled to be played in a noon contest.