By Alex Webbe
The rain-delayed completion of the first round of the Palm city Open was finally completed on Saturday with KIG scoring a 7-3 win over Cinque Terre to end their three chukker segment of the round-robin followed by a 3-3 tie between Certified/Endeavor and Cinque Terre. By virtue of a win and a tie, Certified/Endeavor will face Power Horse in Sunday’s finals. KIG is slated to face Cinque Terre in the subsidiary final. La Pasion/Tuff Rider will meet Elangeni Ranch in the consolation final.
Certified/Endeavor got off to a good first round run with a 5-3 win over KIG. Three first chukker goals had them up 4-0 (Certified/Endeavor received one goal by handicap) while a stingy defense kept KIG off of the scoreboard in the opening chukker. A pair of goals from Nic Roldan and a single goal from Joaquin Panelo had KIG trailing from the beginning.
KIG closed the gap with a couple of goals from the field from Marc Ganzi while shutting out the Certified/Endeavor attack. The led was cut to 4-2, with KIG on the hunt.
Miguel Astrada scored the final goal of the mini-match while KIG held Certified/Endeavor to a single goal from Larry Austin, but it wasn’t enough as KIG fell, 5-3.
KIG 7, CINQUE TERRE 3
KIG held the field for the ensuing three chukkers, scoring an impressive 7-3 win over Cinque Terre.
This time it was KIG with the big first chukker. Single goals from Astrada, Lucas Lalor and Ganzi were paired with a stellar defensive effort for a 3-0 start.
Cinque Terre fought back in the following chukker with two goals from Brandon Phillips and a goal from Alessandro Bazzoni. KIG got single goals from Lalor and Astrada to hold a 5-3 advantage.
KIG ended it with goals from Bash Kazi and Lalor while shutting out the Cinque Terre offense for the second time in the 7-3 victory.
CERTIFIED/ENDEAVOR 3, CINQUE TERRE 3
Certified/Endeavor received one goal by handicap but were kept off of the scoreboard for the first two chukkers of play as Cinque Terre took control of the play on the field. Avery Chapman scored the first goal on a penalty shot followed by a goal from the field from Brandon Phillips. Cinque Terre took the early 2-1 lead.
Phillips scored the only goal of the following chukker while a frustrated Certified/Endeavor attack was unable to score for the second consecutive period. Going into the final chukker, Cinque Terre held a 3-1 lead.
The final chukker belonged to Certified/Endeavor with Nic Roldan scoring twice, I including a magical goal in which he carried the ball through the goal posts with three taps in mid-air. The final horn sounded with the teams deadlocked in a 3-3 tie. Certified/Endeavor took top honors in the round-robin by virtue of a win and a tie. KIG finished second with a 1-1 record and Cinque Terre finished third with two losses.