By Alex Webbe
Santa Clara finished the Everglades Classic with a 10-8 consolation win over MetalTek at the International Polo Club in Wellington Sunday morning to finish with an impressive 3-1 record.
MetalTek received one goal by handicap and added a penalty conversion from Tommy Biddle. Carlos Avendano scored a single goal for Santa Clara. The first chukker ended with MetalTek leading 2-1.
MetalTek picked up penalty goals from Robert Orthwein and Biddle for a 4-1 lead in the second. Pablo Spinacci got Santa Clara back into the game with a goal from the field, but MetalTek was on the winning end of a 4-2 score. A pair of unanswered penalty conversions from Avendano ended the first half with the score deadlocked at 4-4.
Carlucho Arellano scored three more gals in the fourth while holding MetalTek scoreless. Arellano scored twice on penalty shots and once form the field. Santa Clara jumped out to a three goals, 7-4, after four periods of play.
MetalTek scored three times in the fifth while limiting the Santa Clara offense to a single goal. Biddle scored twice (once on a 40-yard penalty shot) and Will Johnston scored his first goal of the day from the field. Spinacci accounted for the only Santa Clara goal, but MetalTek continued to trail, 8-7.
Biddle made good on a 60-yard penalty shot in the sixth chukker, but a pair of goals from Arellano were all that were needed for the 10-8 Santa Clara win.
Arellano set the pace for the Santa Clara offense with five goals (one by penalty). Avendano added three goals (two on penalty shots), and Spinacci accounted for two goals in the victory.
Biddle was credited with five MetalTek goals. Robert Orthwein and Johnston scored single goals in the loss.