Matias Magrini trying to ride-off Martin Pepa.
(Photo by Alex) Pacheco
In the last of the preliminary rounds of play in the 2013 Monty Waterbury Cup at the Bridgehampton Polo Club, Equuleus (Joe DiMenna, Martin Pepa, Magoo Laprida and Mariano Gonzalez) beat previously undefeated White Birch (Del Walton, Joao Ganon, Matias Magrini and Peter Brant) by the score of 10-8.
Equuleus scored the first two goals of the game on penalty shots, with Mariano Gonzalez converting from 30-yards and 40-yards, 2-0. Joao Ganon scored a goal from the field for White birch, 2-1, with a final goal coming from Gonzalez to put Equuleus ahead, 3-1.
Del Walton and Matias Magrini scored from the field for White Birch in the opening minutes of the second period to tie it up at 3-3. Magoo Laprida tallied for Equuleus and Gonzalez scored on another penalty shot for a 5-3 advantage.
Laprida and Ganon exchanged single goals in the third chukker. White Birch trailed by two goals, 6-4 at the end of the first half.
Goals continued to be elusive in the fourth. Ganon converted a 60-yard penalty shot for a goal and Gonzalez added another from the field. Equuleus continued to lead by two goals, 7-5.
The back-and-forth flow of the game continued through the fifth chukker. Magrini and Gonzalez exchanged penalty goals, 8-6. Magrini scored from the field, cutting the lead to a single goal once again, and Laprida responded with a closing goal for Equuleus. Equuleus held the two goal advantage, 9-7, with one goal left to play.
Peter Brant scored first in the final chukker but the Equuleus defense held firm. A final penalty by Gonzalez slammed the door on White Birch, and Equuleus celebrated the 10-8 win.
Gonzalez scored seven times for Equuleus (five on penalty shots). Laprida added the other three goals in the victory. Ganon and Magrini scored three goals apiece for White Birch. Brant and Walton each accounted for a single goal in a losing effort.
The wins by Lechuza (2-1) and Equuleus (2-1) and the loss by White Birch (2-1) resulted in a three-way tie. A penalty shoot-out between the three teams
took place late in the afternoon with Equuleus winning.
Equuleus will face Heathcote (0-3) in one semifinal while Lechuza and White Birch will meet in the other. The semifinals will be held on Wednesday, July 31, time to be announced.