By Alex Webbe
KIG scored a win and a tie in Saturday afternoon’s round-robin competition to qualify for Sunday’s finals of the 2012 Pedro Morrison Memorial Cup.
Audi (Carlitos Gracida, Jeff Hall, Mark Ganzi and Wes Finlayson) got off to a strong start, downing Flat Out (Joecelyn Grouix, Paul Knapp, Brandon Phillips and Mariano Gonzalez) in the opening three chukkers of the round-robin, 5-2.
Wes Finlayson scored the first goal of the game from the field followed by a penalty conversion from Marc Ganzi for a 2-0 lead. Flat Out got right back into it with a pair of penalty goals from Mariano Gonzalez as the first chukker ended all even at 2-2.
Jeff Hall opened the second period with a penalty conversion. He followed it up with a steal from a Flat Out player at midfield and a run 150 yards down the field for a goal. Ganzi added another score from the field while Audi shut down the Flat Out offense. After two chukkers, Audi had Flat Out on its heels with a three goal lead, 5-2.
The final chukker of the mini-match was all defense with neither team scoring as Audi left the field with a 5-2 win.
KIG 4, FLAT OUT 4
Flat Out fell behind early with Juancito Bollini scoring twice from the field for KIG while holding Flat Out scoreless. After the first seven minutes of play, KIG held a 2-0 advantage.
Juancito Bollini gave KIG a 3-0 edge in the second chukker with his third goal of the day. Paul Knapp kept his team from getting shut out again with a goal from the field. KIG continued to lead, 3-1.
Two more goals from Knapp in the third period tied it up at 3-3. KIG responded with a penalty conversion from Grant Ganzi to move back into the lead, 4-3. Mariano Gonzalez tied it up to end the match in a 4-4 deadlock.
KIG 8, AUDI 4
Audi returned to the field for the final three chukkers, Jason Crowder scored the first goal from the field, answered by a 40-yard penalty conversion from Jeff Hall. Kris Kampsen added another goal for KIG. And Audi found itself trailing, 2-1.
Marc Ganzi scored twice from the field for Audi in the second, but Kampsen responded with a pair of goals of his own. KIG continued to lead, 4-3.
Marc Ganzi converted a 60-yard penalty shot for Audi in the third and final chukker as they tied it up at 4-4, but the rest of the period belonged to KIG. Crowder scored on a beautifully executed cut shot for a goal and added another as he struck the ball out of the air and through the goal posts. Kampsen added a penalty goal and the final goal of the match from the field in the 8-4 victory and a berth in Sunday’s 3pm finals against Piaget.
Flat Out is slated to play Newport/Ruby Q on Sunday morning at 10:30 am at the Palm City Polo Club for the Tato’s Mallets Challenge Cup. Audi will face Equine Law at 1pm for the Prisa Invitational Cup while Piaget and KIG will face one another in the finals of the 2012 Pedro Morrison Memorial Cup. Both afternoon games will take place at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington.