By Alex Webbe
Eight goals from Isla Carroll’s Sugar Erskine led the way with a game leading eight goals as Isla Carroll ran over Mt. Brilliant 15-9 in the quarterfinals of the Ylvisaker Cup Sunday afternoon at the International Polo Club in Wellington. The win lands it a noon showdown in Wednesday’s semifinals against the 2008 Joe Barry Memorial Champion Catamount team. Skeeterville will face Bendabout in the 3 pm semifinal.
“When we’re on we’re on.” Said Isla Carroll 5-goaler Shane Rice, “and we were on today.”
The young Back made key plays throughout the game, scoring three goals along the way.
On the strength of four goals from Sugar Erskine, Isla Carroll Jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the opening chukker of play.
Mt. Brilliant fought back in the second chukker with Kris Kampsen converting a Penalty 2 and Jeff Blake scoring two goals from the field. Sylvestre “Bete” Donovan kept Isla Carroll from being shut out with a goal, and the chukker ended with Isla Carroll ahead 6-4.
Mt. Brilliant attempted to regroup in the third chukker, but Isla Carroll was just beginning to feel its oats. Goals from Erskine, Donovan and Shane Rice made it 9-5 at halftime, with Kampsen converting another Penalty 2 for Mt. Brilliant’s only score of the chukker.
“”We set the tone early,” said Erskine,” we were on the mark today. We didn’t do anything special, we just played a more open game.”
Defense was the word in the fourth period
Mt. Brilliant attempted a rally in the fifth period but was quickly silenced by long defensive drives by Rice and combination attacks by Sylvestre Donovan (who scored three goals) and Erskine. Rice converted a penalty shot and Erskine carried the ball through the goal posts for the seventh time. Mt. Brilliant goals from Blake and Kampsen kept the game from getting out of hand, but Isla Carroll held a 12-7 advantage going into the final chukker.
“Isla Carroll is playing a more classic game,” said former 9-goaler Howard Hipwood. “They’re using one another and showing great teamwork.” Said the former British team captain. “And young Rice is playing a very steady game at Back.”
Rice opened the scoring in the sixth chukker with his second penalty conversion of the match. Erskine’s eighth goal gave Isla Carroll a 14-7 lead before Mt. Brilliant answered the assault.
Jeff Hall’s second goal of the game was followed by a goal from Isla Carroll’s Donovan. Jeff Blake returned the favor for Mt. Brilliant, but it would be a case of too little too late.
The final horn sounded with Isla Carroll moving into the semifinals with a 15-9 win.
Ylvisaker Cup play will continue with semifinal action on Wednesday, February 13 with Isla Carroll facing Catamount at noon and Bendabout taking on Skeeterville at 3pm.
PATAGONES 11, PONY EXPRESS 10, OT
In earlier consolation play in the Ylvisaker Cup competition, Carlucho Arellano scored the winning goal in overtime as Patagones downed Pony Express 11-10.
Patagones rode to a 6-4 halftime lead on the strength of four goals by Mariano Gonzalez.
Gonzalez opened the scoring in the fourth period, but goals from Pony Express’s Matias Machado and Tomas Goti cut the Patagones lead to 7-6. Patagones stretched the lead to two goals after Gonzalez followed Carlos Avendano goal from the field with a penalty conversion. Goti closed out the scoring in the fifth, and Pony Express trailed 9-7.
Gonzalo Avendano’s second goal of the match gave Patagones a brief 10-7 advantage until three consecutive Pony Express goals (two from Goti and one from Matias Magrini) knotted the score at 10-10.
Carlucho Arellano was able to put the game away with his only goal of the game in overtime, and Patagones will move on to meet Audi in the finals of the consolation bracket of the Ylvisaker Cup.