Lechuza Caracas (2-0) closed out the second round of play in the 20-goal Ylvisaker Cup Friday afternoon at the International Polo Club in Wellington as Polito Pieres scored eleven times in sweeping his team to a 14-12 win over previously unbeaten Lucchese (1-1) in a high-scoring contest.
Sebastian Merlos got Lucchese on the scoreboard in the opening seconds of the first chukker before goals from Polito Pieres (penalty conversion) and Lechuza Caracas team captain Victor Vargas reversed fortunes, putting Lechuza Caracas ahead, 2-1. Merlos scored the tying goal in the final seconds of the period for the early 2-2 deadlock.
Pieres added two more goals (one on a penalty shot) with teammate Carlos Avendano adding a goal from the field for a 5-3 advantage. Lucchese picked up single goals from Kris Kampsen (penalty goal) and Merlos but trailed by two goals.
Pieres added three more goals in the third (ne on a penalty shot) while Lucchese responded with a single goal from team captain, John Muse. After three chukkers of play, Lechuza led, 8-5.
Lucchese came into its own in the second half. Following an early penalty goal by Pieres, Lucchese rattled off four unanswered goals with Kampsen and Andres Weisz supplying single goals and Merlos converting two penalty shots to tie it up at 9-9.
Merlos gave Lucchese a 10-9 lead, taking possession of the ball from the opening throw-in and racing 150 yards down the field for a goal. Lechuza Caracas took the lead back in the fifth chukker as Pieres scored on a 60-yard penalty shot followed up by a goal from the field. The period ended with Lechuza Caracas holding a narrow one goal, 11-10 edge.
Avendano opened the final chukker with a goal from the field, 12-10, that was countered by a penalty conversion for a goal from Kampsen, 12-11. Pieres converted a 40-yard penalty shot for a goal and added another from the field for a 14-11 advantage. Kampsen converted a penalty shot with 37 seconds left in regulation time to close out the scoring in the 14-12 Lechuza Caracas win.
Pieres led all scoring with eleven goals (six on penalty shots). Avendano added two goals and Vargas scored once in the victory. Merlos was credited with six goals for Lucchese (two on penalty shots). Three of Kampsen’s four goals came on penalty conversions with Weisz and Muse scoring single goals in the loss.
Seven more Ylvisaker Cup matches will be played over the weekend that will decide Thursday’s tournament quarterfinalists.