By Alex Webbe
Circa and Metal Tech moved on with wins in quarterfinal play in the 14-goal Freebooters Classic Saturday afternoon at the International Polo Club in Wellington.
Metal Tech took an early lead on a penalty goal from Stevie Orthwein while holding First View scoreless through the first seven and-a-half minutes of play.
Defense seemed to be the feature of the day, as both teams struggled through another nearly scoreless chukker. A penalty goal from First View’s Tommy Biddle amounted to all of the offense from either side in the second period, and the score was tied at 2-2.
Metal Tech came back in the third and collected a pair of goals from Orthwein and a single goal from James Armstrong for a 4-2 lead. First View managed another penalty goal from Biddle, but trailed 4-2 at the end of the first half.
First View got two more goals from Biddle in the fourth, but a pair of goals from Orthwein and a single goal from Will Johnston had Metal Tech ahead by three goals, 7-4.
Joe Meyer got on the scoreboard for First View with his first goal of the game in the fifth and Biddle added two more. Armstrong and Johnston added single goals for Metal Tech and held on to the lead, 9-7.
Biddle’s seventh goal of the game cut the Metal Tech lead to a single goal, 9-8, but the threat was extinguished with Orthwein’s sixth score for the final 10-8 Metal Tech win.
Biddle led all scoring with seven goals. Meyer added one in the loss.
Orthwein accounted for six of Metal Tech’s ten goals. Johnston and Armstrong added two goals apiece for the victory.
CIRCA 9, LECHUZA I 8
`Later in the day, behind a combined seven goals from Martin Pepa and Tomas Garcia del Rio, Circa broke loose from a 4-4 halftime tie to defeat Lechuza I 9-8 in overtime in 14-Goal Freebooters Classic play.
Lechuza I took a first chukker lead on goals from Gaston Lisioli and Mani Crotto. Circa was held to a single goal from Chris Del Gatto and trailed 2-1.
Crotto added two more goals in the second for Lechuza while holding Circa to a single goal from the field from Carlitos Gracida. Lechuza I held a 4-2 advantage.
Unanswered goals from Pepa and Garcia del Rio ended the first half, all even at 4-4.
The fourth chukker was a breakthrough for Circa. Two more goals from Pepa and a single goal from Garcia del Rio gave Circa a 7-5 lead. Lechuza I managed a single penalty goal from Lisioli and now trailed by two goals.
Goals from Guille Aguero and Lisioli cut into the Circa lead in the fifth. Pepa added one goal as Circa defended a precarious 8-7 lead.
Lechuza tried to rally past Circa in the final chukker, but managed only a tying goal as Circa was forced into a sudden-death overtime chukker.
Both teams battled for control of the ball, and with Circa pressing the Lechuza I defense, a foul was committed. Garcia del Rio converted on the 40-yard shot for the 9-8 win.
Lisioli scored four times for Lechuza I. Crotto added three goals and Aguero scored once. Martin Pepa scored four goals for Circa. Garcia del Rio added three goals and teammates Gracida and Del Gatto accounted for single goals in the win.