By Alex Webbe
Lucchese received one goal by handicap from the 20-goal Mt. Brilliant foursome but fell behind early as Mike Azzaro’s opening goal of the game was followed by three more from teammate Nic Roldan for an impressive 4-1 lead.
Mt. Brilliant added three more goals in the second chukker (two from Azzaro and a penalty goal from Roldan) to move ahead, 7-2. Lucchese got a single goal from Kris Kampsen on a scoring run that spanned the length of the field.
“We just didn’t play well in the opening chukkers,” offered Lucchese 7-goaler Luis Escobar. “They (Mt. Brilliant) came out on their top horses, and we made some mistakes and put ourselves in a hole.”
Lucchese got a pair of goals Luis Escobar to open the third, but Roldan spoiled the shutout with a goal from the field. The first half ended with a potent Mt. Brilliant team sitting on top of an 8-4 lead.
Trailing by four goals, the fourth chukker was all Lucchese. Kampsen kicked off the rally scoring a pair of goals on penalty shots. Escobar drove the ball through the Mt. Brilliant goal posts for a score and Andres Weisz scored three times while holding their opponents scoreless.
“Luis (Escobar) did a masterful job at halftime,” said team captain John Muse. “He told the team that we had made some mistakes in the first half, but could turn it around. He charged everyone up without lost emotion and redirected the team’s efforts for the second half,” said Muse. “He did a masterful job as field general,” Muse added.
Lucchese rode off the field after the fourth chukker with a 10-8 advantage.
Mt. Brilliant tried to reverse the momentum in the fifth, getting single goals from Roldan and team captain Bo Goodman, but Escobar closed the chukker with an exceptional goal to hold the lead at 11-10.
“I told the guys to hit the ball,” said Escobar. “I told them that as long as Mt. Brilliant was coming at us, they were very dangerous, but once we started driving the ball down the field they would have their backs to us, and we would take control of the game.”
Both teams battled up and down the field in the final chukker of the game, with Escobar scoring for the fifth time to give Lucchese a two goal, 12-10 lead. Mt. Brilliant scored on an offense attack that resulted in Roldan’s seventh goal, but with seconds left and Mt. Brilliant trying desperately to score, a shot went wide of the goal, and Lucchese kept its record intact, 3-0, with the 12-11 win.
“I was comfortable with our play in the final chukker,” said Escobar, “and had confidence in the team. It was a total team effort, with everyone playing an important part in the win.”
“I am so proud of this team,” said Muse. “I am so impressed with the manner in which they played today,” he added,” I couldn’t be happier.”
Nic Roldan led all scoring with seven goals for Mt. Brilliant. Mike Azzaro added three and Bo Goodman scored once in the loss.
Luis Escobar was the high point man for Lucchese with five goals. Julio Gracida and Andres Weisz added three goals apiece. Lucchese received one goal by handicap.
FARAWAY 12, VALIENTE 10
Marianito Gracida scored the first goal of the game for Valiente, but Faraway took an early 3-1 lead on a pair f goals from Julio Gracida and a penalty conversion from Julio Arellano.
Three penalty conversions from Valiente 9-goaler Miguel Astrada were answered by a single goal from Faraway’s Arellano, knotting the game up at 4-4 after two chukkers of play.
Jeff Hall scored his first goal of the game on a penalty shot and added another from the field for a two goal, 6-4 lead. Arellano’s third goal of the day ended the first half with Valiente guarding a narrow 6-5 advantage.
Faraway exploded in the fourth chukker with five unanswered goals. Three penalty goals from Julio Gracida were complimented by single goals from the field from Gaston Laulhe and Arellano. The period ended with Faraway holding heady 10-6 edge.
Goals from Arellano and Laulhe in the fifth put Faraway up, 12-6 before Hall finally got Valiente on the scoreboard with a goal from the field. Faraway would take a five goal lead, 12-7 into the final chukker as Valiente continued to look for an effective offense.
Valiente closed out the final chukker with three straight goals (Hall, Marianito Gracida and Astrada), but it wouldn’t be enough as Faraway coasted to a 12-10 win.
“I thought we let a few too many of the opposing players loose in the first half,” said Faraway coach Julian Hipwood. “When we got on our opposing players and on the ball, I thought we took control of the game,” said the former English 9-goaler.
Julio Arellano and Julio Gracida led the Faraway attack with four goals apiece. Laulhe scored twice in the win.
Miguel Astrada and Jeff Hall each scored four goals for Valiente. Marianito Gracida added two goals in a losing effort.
Ylvisaker Cup play will continue with two Sunday matches. At noon, Bendabout (0-1) will face Zacara (1-1), followed by a 3 pm stadium game featuring ERG (1-1) and Lechuza (0-1).