By Alex Webbe
KIG spotted the 16-goal Flat Out team three goals to start and trailed by a goal at
halftime, but rallied with five second half goals to score the 10-7 win and a
berth in Saturday’s finals of the 2011 USPA National Twenty Goal tournament
Thursday afternoon at the Palm City Polo Club in Boca Raton.
With 1-goaler Adam Figueroa substituting for team captain Bash Kazi, the 19-goal KIG foursome was forced to give up three goals by handicap to open the match.
Jeff Blake scored the first goal of the game from the field followed by a penalty
conversion from Tommy Biddle. Flat Out was held scoreless but continued to lead, 3-2.
Paul Knapp scored twice and Jota Chavanne added a goal for Flat Out in the second. KIG responded with single goals from Hector Galindo and Blake. Flat Out rode off the field after the first two chukkers with a 6-4 edge.
Defenses tightened on both sides in the third. Blake managed the only goal of the chukker, but after three chukkers of play, Flat Out continued to lead, 6-5.
Goals from Blake and Galindo in the fourth went unanswered as KIG started taking control of the play on the field. Unable to score for the second consecutive chukker, Flat Out found itself trailing for the first time all afternoon, 7-6.
A pair of goals from Galindo was complimented by shutout defense from KIG as the lead was extended to three goals, 9-6, with one chukker left in regulation time.
Diego Cossio scored for flat Out in the sixth, but Galindo answered back with his fifth goal of the day for the final 10-7 score. The victory lifted KIG into Saturday’s 1pm finals against Port Mayaca for the 2011 USPA National Twenty Goal championship.
Galindo led all players with five goals. Blake scored four times and Biddle added a goal in the win.
Knapp led his Flat Out team with two goals. Cossio and Chavanne scored single goals and the team received three goals by handicap.
A consolation match in the tournament is slated to be played between Audi and the
Wanderers at 10 am on IPC’s renovated Number 2 field.