Coca-Cola vs. Lechuza Caracas

04/08/2012, 10:00 am |

Coca-Cola - 9, Lechuza Caracas - 7

Lechuza Caracas (2-1), the defending US Open Champion suffered their first loss of the tournament as Coca-Cola (2-2) scored a 9-7 victory over a talent-laden roster.

An opening goal from Lechuza Caracas 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero was countered by a goal from the field from Hilario Ulloa for a 1-1 first period.

The two teams exchanged goals in the second with Julio Arellano giving a brief led to Coca-Cola, 2-1. Moments later Lechuza Caracas team captain Victor Vargas scored the tying goal, 2-2.

Scoring continued to be scarce with the two teams trading single goals in the third. Sapo Caset scored his first goal of the game for a 3-2 Lechuza Caracas lead, but Arellano managed another Coca-Cola goal to deadlock it at 3-3 at the end of the first half.

Coca-Cola picked up goals from Gillian Johnston and Hilario Ulloa in the fourth with Lechuza Caracas responding with a single goal from Caset. Coca-Cola had finally broken the tie and taken a delicate one-goal, 5-4 advantage.

Lechuza Caracas battled back into contention in the fifth, scoring three goals while allowing Coca-Cola a single goal from Ulloa. Lechuza Caracas counted goals from Vargas, Caset (penalty conversion) and Nero as they move out in front of a 7-6 score.

The final chukker, however, belonged to Coca-Cola with Arellano taking center stage. A pair of penalty goals and a goal from the field were more than enough to carry Coca-Cola to the 9-7 win.

Arellano led all scoring with five goals. Ulloa scored three times and Johnston added a goal for the win.
Caset scored three goals for Lechuza Caracas. Vargas and Nero each scored twice in the loss.