By Alex Webbe
MetalTek handed Equuleus a 12-11 defeat in the finals of the George Haas Cup, the subsidiary tournament of the Ylvisaker Cup Sunday afternoon at the International Polo Club in Wellington.
In a 2-2 opening chukker, MetalTek’s Carlucho Arellano scored twice (once from the field and once on a penalty shot). Mariano Gonzalez and Brandon Phillips responded with single goals (Gonzalez converted a 40-yard penalty shot for a goal). The first chukker ended in a 2-2 tie.
MetalTek erupted with three straight goals in the second period. Argentine 9-goaler Sebastian Merlos scored twice while teammate Arellano added a goal. Paco de Narvaez added a goal for Equuleus but they trailed 5-3.
The Equuleus defense shut out MetalTek in the third chukker while picking up single goals from Phillips and de Narvaez. At the end of the first half, the teams were deadlocked at 5-5.
Gonzalez scored to put Equuleus on top of a 6-5 lead, when the MetalTek offense exploded. Stevie Orthwein scored his first goal of the game, followed by goals from Merlos and Arellano (60-yard penalty shot). MetalTek led 8-6 after four periods of play.
Orthwein/s second goal of the day had MetalTek ahead, 9-6. Gonzalez and Phillips scored single goals to cut the lead to a single goal, 9-8. Arellano scored to extend the MetalTek lead to two goals, 10-8. De Narvaez scored the final goal of the period, but Equuleus continued to trail MetalTek 10-9.
Arellano scored the first goal of the sixth chukker for a 12-9 MetalTek advantage, but Equuleus fought back. A goal from the field from Phillips and a penalty goal from Gonzalez tied it up at 11-11. Merlos scored the 12-11 go-ahead goal with 1:05 left to play but Equuleus continued to press the attack. A missed scoring opportunity by both Phillips and de Narvaez ended the threat as time expired in the 12-11 MetalTek victory.
Arellano led the field in scoring with six goals. Merlos scored four times and Orthwein added a pair of goal s for the win.
Phillips and Gonzalez scored four goals apiece for Equuleus. De Narvaez added three goals in a losing effort.
Carlucho Arellano was named MVP while Sebastian Merlos’s ten-year-old stallion, Anselmo, received Best Playing Pony honors.