Joe Barry Memorial Cup

Coca-Cola vs. Circa

01/25/2012, 3:00 pm | 3 IPC

Coca-Cola - 12, Circa - 10

Chris Del Gatto’s Circa team made quite an impression on the high-goal season at the International Polo Club scoring three opening wins before falling to a determined Coca-Cola team. The win pits Coca-Cola (4-0) against Lucchese (4-0) in Sunday’s title game.

In an offense-starved opening chukker of play, Coca-Cola 9-goaler Julio Arellano scored the only goal of the period on a penalty conversion to edge Circa 1-0.

Martin Pepa tied it up at 1-1 on a goal from the field, but Coca-Cola team captain Gillian Johnston gave her team a 2-1 lead on a scoring effort.

A pressing Circa attach and three penalty goals from Hilario Ulloa had Coca-Cola trailing 4-2, but Arellano closed out the first half with a 60-yard penalty conversion. Circa held a precarious 4-3 lead after the first three chukkers.

Coca-Cola got back into the game in the fourth chukker. Single goals from Mason Wroe, Sugar Erskine and Arellano were countered by goals from Ulloa and Guille Aguero. The game was now all even at 6-6.

Arellano and Wroe added goals to the Coca-Cola total to open the fifth period with an 8-6 lead when Ulloa led the charge back for Circa.

Two penalty conversions and a goal from the field for Ulloa game Circa a 9-8 advantage with one chukker left in regulation time.

Ulloaa extended the Circa lead to two goals, 10-8 as the sixth chukker began, but Coca-Cola continued to fight back. Arellano managed to score from a scrum-like formation in front of the Circa goal followed by a goal from Erskine with just over two minutes left. The game was deadlocked at 10-10 with time running down when a Circa foul put Arellano on the penalty line where he converted another shot for a goal. Arellano sealed the deal with his sixth goal of the game and a 12-10 final score.

Circa’s Ulloa led the field with seven goals. Pepa added two goals and Aguero scored once in a losing effort.

Arellano accounted for six Coca-Cola goals. Erskine added four goals and Johnston and Wroe tallied single goals for the win.