Competition continued in the 2013 Joe Barry Memorial Cup Thursday afternoon at the International Polo Club in Wellington, with Argentine 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso leading Valiente to a 16-10 win over an out-gunned Piaget foursome.
Piaget received one goal by handicap and added two more goals to it in the first chukker with Miguel Astrada converting a penalty goal and adding another goal from the field on a beautifully executed neck shot from over 60 yards out. Valiente wasted little time in matching them goal for goal for a 3-3 deadlock with Cambiaso scoring the first goal from the field and teammate Alfredo Cappella Barabucci adding two more for the tie.
Cambiaso added three more goals from the field in the second frame with Barabucci scoring his third goal of the game for a 7-4 advantage. Melissa Ganzi accounted for Piaget’s only goal of the chukker.
Third chukker goals from Julio Gracida, who scored on a well-placed nearside neck shot, Barabucci and Cambiaso were answered by a pair of penalty goals from Astrada. Valiente extended its lead to four goals, 10-6, to end the first half of play.
A determined Piaget team took the field in the fourth chukker, shutting down the Valiente attack and adding two more goals to their total on penalty conversions from Astrada. The Valiente lead was cut to two goals, 10-8.
Twenty-five seconds into the fifth period a Valiente foul sent Astrada to the penalty line once again. A perfect shot by the Argentine 10-goaler had Piaget within a goal, 10-9, when Valiente sprang back to life. A pair of goals from Barabucci and a penalty goal from Cambiaso ended the chukker with Valiente safely ahead, 13-9.
The Valiente horsepower began to tell in the final chukker as Valiente outscored Piaget three goals to one and captured the win in a 16-10 rout.
The victory is Valiente’s second for a 2-0 record while Piaget remains winless in two outings, 0-2.
Cambiaso and Barabucci scored seven goals apiece (one of Cambiaso’s goals was on a penalty shot; two of Barabucci’s goals came from the penalty line as well) for Valiente. Julio Gracida and team captain Bob Jornayvaz each added a goal for the win. Astrada’s eight goals led the field for Piaget. Melissa Ganzi added a single goal and the team received one goal by handicap.
Joe Barry Memorial Cup action continues on Friday, January 18 with a 1pm contest between Villa Del Lago (1-0) and Lechuza Caracas (0-1). Polito Pieres scored eight times in Villa Del Lago’s tournament opener and is a decided threat throughout the match. At 3pm Zacara (1-0) will face Lucchese (0-1).