Piaget vs. Zacara

02/25/2012, 2:00 pm |

Zacara - 11, Piaget - 9

After battling to a 6-6 halftime tie, Zacara captured an 11-9 hard-fought win over a plucky Piaget foursome in the quarterfinals of the C. V. Whitney Cup Saturday afternoon.

Piaget received three goals by handicap from the 26-goal Zacara team and went up 4-0 as Brazilian 8-goaler Rodrigo Andrade scored the game’s first goal from the field. Zacara 10-goaler Facundo Pieres got right to work, responding with two goals from the field and a penalty goal. Piaget continued to lead after the first chukker of play, but Zacara trailed by a single goal, 4-3.

Negro Astrada opened the second chukker with a Piaget goal, but a 40-yard penalty conversion from Pieres and a goal from the field from Magoo Laprida had the score all even at 5-5 as the period ended.

Joaquin Pittaluga put Zacara in the lead, 6-5, with his first goal of the afternoon, but Piaget’s Nic Roldan countered it with a goal of his own for a 6-6 halftime tie.

Unanswered fourth chukker goals from Laprida and Pittaluga gave Zacara an 8-6 lead as Piaget struggled to organize an effective attack in the second half.

Laprida scored the opening goal of the fifth chukker, 9-6, but Piaget charged back. A well-earned goal from the field from Piaget team captain Melissa Ganzi on a run was followed by a 40-yard penalty conversion from Roldan. Pieres countered with a penalty goal of his own, however, and at the end of the fifth chukker, Zacara continued to lead by two goals, 10-8.

Pieres scored Zacara’s only goal of the final chukker on a penalty shot for an 11-8 lead. Piaget fought back, with a goal from the field from Roldan, but in spite of several opportunities, were unable to get any closer. The final horn sounded with Zacara taking the game, 11-9.

Pieres led the Zacara attack with six goals. Laprida added three goals and Pittaluga scored twice.

Roldan scored three goals for Piaget. Ganzi, Andrade and Astrada each added a goal in the loss. Piaget received three goals by handicap.