By Alex Webbe
The difference between getting a game under your belt and playing your first game of the season couldn’t have been illustrated more clearly than in Friday after Equuleus (2-0) defeated a talented but untried Lechuza Caracas (0-1) lineup 8-7 in Ylvisaker Cup play.
The two teams struggled through the first chukker-and-a-half, locked in a 2-2 tie before Equuleus began to run all over Lechuza.
Two consecutive goals from Mariano Gonzalez closed out the second chukker, 2-4, and a single goal from teammate Adam Snow had Equuleus up 5-2 at the end of the first half.
Maureen Brennan (substituting for team captain Joe DiMenna) showed up strong at the Number 4 position for Equuleus, riding off scoring threat Lechuza patron, Victor Vargas throughout the game.
Six-goaler Marianito Obregon was the consummate team player, making play after play off of the ball, setting up teammates and in general, giving fits to the entire Lechuza team.
“The horses were great today,” said Equuleus 6-goaler Marianito Obregon. “The team is really starting to play well together,” said the talented 25-year-old.
Goals from Snow and Gonzalez (penalty shot) in the fourth were answered with Lechuza’s first goal from the field (they got a first chukker goal on a penalty shot and were received a goal in the second chukker on the rarely awarded Penalty 1). Equuleus continued to lead, 7-3.
Gonzalez scored his sixth goal of the game in the fifth chukker with Toto Collardin answering with his first goal of the game for Lechuza. Equuleus held its ground, 8-4.
Lechuza finally started to gel as a team in the final period of the game. A pair of penalty goals from Lisioli and a single goal from Guille Aguero cut the lead to a single goal, but there was not enough time left. Snow slammed the ball into the sideboards to end the chukker and give Equuleus its second straight victory in the 8-7 win.
“We wanted to finish strong,” Marianito Obregon said, “but we made some mistakes in the sixth chukker and they started playing as a team.”
Gonzalez led all scoring with six goals. Snow added two goals in the win.
Lisioli led the Lechuza attack with four goals. Aguerro scored two times and Collardin added a goal in the losing effort.
Ylvisaker cup will continue on Saturday with a 1 pm game between Lucchese (2-0) and Mt. Brilliant (1-0) followed by a 3 pm contest between Faraway (0-2) and Valiente (0-1).