By Alex Webbe
Catena received one goal by handicap but couldn’t overcome the firepower of a strong Audi team losing 5-4 in a bitterly contested opening round of play in the 2009 WCT Finals at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington Friday afternoon.
The low scoring affair started with few goals but a great deal of action as the players raced up and down the field in a series of well-orchestrated attacks and defenses.
Kellie Torres scored the opening goal of the game for Catena with Sunny Hale retaliating for Audi and the chukker ended with Catena on top of a 2-1 score. Both teams battled for field position throughout the second period with Catena’s Sylvia Firestone executing backshots against a pressing Audi attack. Long runs by Erica Gandomcar were fruitless as Hale and Danika Rice combined to shut down the Catena offense.
After two chukkers of the four chukker game, Catena left the field with a 2-1 lead.
In the third period Sunny Hale showed why she remains the highest rated woman player in the world as she scored two consecutive goals for Audi, tying and then giving her team a 3-2 lead. Kellie Torres rallied for Catena with a single goal but the chukker ended with Audi ahead 4-3.
There was no quit in either team as the final chukker began. Catena continued to press its attack with Erica Gandomcar getting loose for a goal to make it a 4-4 match.
With the prospect of sudden-death overtime looming, Gillian Johnston broke free of the pack with the ball and carried it over 100 yards down the field for the winning goal and a berth in Sunday’s WCT Finals.
Sunny Hale led all scoring with three goals. Gillian Johnson scored twice.
Catena’s Kellie Torres scored two goals, Erica Gandomcar added a goal and Catena received one goal by handicap.
WCT play continues on Saturday with a 1pm match between Altair and Parrot Heads on the Sympatico Field.