Lechuza 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero scored four goals in the win.
Lechuza (Victor Vargas, Mariano Gracida, Juan Martin Nero and Tomas Goti) played the part of a rude house guest by drubbing Equuleus (Martin Pepa, Magoo Laprida, Mariano Gonzalez and Joe DiMenna) 14-8 on the Equuleus home field Friday afternoon in the opening match of the 2013 Hampton Cup.
Mariano Gonzalez scored the only goal of the first chukker to put Equuleus on top, 1-0 after the first chukker of play, but that would be their last lead of the game. Lechuza racked three goals in the second chukker—all on penalty goals—while shutting out the Equuleus offense for a 3-1 advantage. Tomas Goti scored twice and Juan Martin Nero added a gal for the lead.
Lechuza team captain Victor Vargas scored the opening goal of the second chukker, 4-1, but Equuleus stormed back. Gonzalez responded with a pair of goals (one from the field and one on a penalty shot). Lechuza continued to lead, but Equuleus cut the lead down to a single goal, 4-3, at the end of the first half.
The fourth chukker belonged to Lechuza as Nero added three more goals and Mariano Gracida scored his first goal of the day. Equuleus was shutout for the second time and Conditions didn’t improve for Equuleus much in the fifth. Gracida scored twice and Vargas and Goti (penalty conversion) each scored once, extending the Lechuza lead to nine goals, 12-3. Gonzalez converted a pair of penalty shots for Equuleus, but Gracida’s third goal of the chukker ended the scoring with Lechuza firmly in control of a 13-5 game.
Lechuza cruised through the final chukker, picking up a single goal from team captain Victor Vargas. Martin Pepa scored his first goal of the afternoon, and Gonzalez scored twice in the 14-8 loss to Lechuza.
A balanced Lechuza attack had Gracida and Nero scoring four goals apiece. Goti and Vargas each scored three goals for the win. Equuleus got seven goals from Gonzalez and Pepa added a single goal in the 13-8 loss.
Saturday’s action in the 2013 Hampton Cup will feature White Birch (Del Carroll, Joao Ganon, Mariano Aguerre and Peter Brant) and Heathcote (Steve Lefkowitz, Naco Taverna, Tommy Biddle and Nick Manifold).
The game will mark the return of White Birch 9-goaler Mariano Aguerre to the lineup after being sidelined for a number of weeks with a knee injury.