Alegria vs. Circa

01/20/2012, 3:00 pm | 4 IPC

Circa - 10, Alegria - 9

Circa trailed 6-4 at the end of the first half but charged back into the fray to score a tooth-and-nail 10-9 win over Alegria, winning Bracket III, and securing a spot in next week’s semifinals to determine who will face the winner of Bracket I in the Joe Barry Memorial finals at the International Polo Club in Wellington Friday afternoon.

“We didn’t play well,” said an exhausted Hilario Ulloa, following the game. “We’re going to have to play better if we’re going to expect to move on.”

Circa’s Guille Aguero scored the opening goal of the game for Circa about halfway through the first chukker, but a foul put Alegria’s Julian Mannix at the penalty line, and the converted shot tied it up at 1-1.

Aguero took a pass from Hilario Ulloa in the second period and drove it through the goal posts for an early 2-1 advantage, but Alegria stormed back into the game. Another penalty goal by Mannix was followed up by a goal from the field from Alegria 9-goaler Mariano Aguerre. The second chukker ended with Alegria defending a narrow 3-2 lead.

Circa’s Aguero tied it up at 3-3 in the opening minute of the third chukker on a penalty conversion. Mannix put another Alegria goal on the scoreboard, 4-3, on a pass from Naco Taverna. Aguerre’s second goal of the game had Alegria in front 5-3, but with 1:30 left in the chukker, Martin Pepa scored from the field to cut the Alegria lead to a single goal, 5-4. With seconds on the clock, Aguerre made it 6-4 to end the first half.

Ulloa took advantage of an Alegria foul for a penalty goal in the fourth, but Alegria looked to be taking control of the game. Ulloa added another goal in the period, but a pair of goals from Mannix and a penalty goal from Naco Taverna ended the period with Alegria sitting on the winning end of a 9-6 score.

The fifth chukker, however, belonged to Circa as Alegria muffed one opportunity after another and Circa continued to press the attack. A pair of goals from Ulloa went unanswered and Circa had cut the lead to 9-8.

Alegria tried desperately to get back into the game in the final period, but it was Circa that put two more goals on the board. Ulloa tied it at 9-9 on a goal from the field, and then won it on a penalty goal with 1:38 left in regulation time. For the second consecutive chukker, the Alegria attack had been blanked and Circa rode on for the 10-9 win.

Ulloa led Circa (3-0) in scoring with six goals (two on penalty conversions). Aguero added three goals and Pepa scored once in the win.

Mannix set the pace for Alegria (1-2) with five goals (three on penalty shots). Aguerre scored three times and Taverna scored one goal.