ERG vs. Coca-Cola

03/19/2012, 12:00 pm |

ERG - 11, Coca-Cola - 10

Coca-Cola captured the fourth semifinal berth Monday afternoon with an 11-10 win over ERG in a game that saw ERG leading until the final seconds of the fourth chukker before giving up the lead to Coca-Cola in the fifth.

Coca-Cola’s Luis Escobar scored the opening goal of the game on a penalty shot followed by a goal from the field from teammate Hilario Ulloa. Agustin Merlos got ERG on the scoreboard with a 40-yard penalty conversion, to trail 2-1.

Second chukker action had the ERG offense running all over Coca-Cola. Agustin Merlos opened with a goal from the field followed by penalty conversion from Escobar. Errant fouls by Coca-Cola had Agustin Merlos converting a pair of penalty goals with Sebastian Merlos authoritatively driving the ball through the goal posts for a 5-3 ERG lead.

Ulloa scored once from the field and added another on a 60-yard penalty shot to tie it up at 5-5. Agustin Merlos added another penalty goal and scored from the field again for a 7-5 ERG halftime lead.

Sebastian got ERG off on the right hoof in the opening seconds of the fourth chukker, taking the opening throw-in and racing directly to the Coca-Cola goal where he drove the ball through the posts for a score, but the team didn’t fare as well as the chukker ran on. Arellano scored on three penalty shots-the last coming in the final seven seconds of the period for an 8-8 tie.

Both defenses tightened in the fifth with goals coming at a premium. Coca-Cola team captain Gillian Johnston finally broke free and scored the go-ahead goal, 9-8. As the period ended, Coca-Cola rode off the field with its first lead since the second chukker.

A minute into the sixth period, Ulloa scored from the field to extend the Coca-Cola lead to two goals, 10-8. Paco de Narvaez responded with a minute later to bring ERG to within a goal at 10-9. Escobar scored his third goal of the game with a goal from the field, and Coca-Cola was ahead by two goals again, 11-9.
With ERG trying frantically to catch up, Agustin Merlos scored a goal with under a minute to play and the team struggling to tie it up once again. Time expired as the teams returned to midfield for a final throw-in and Coca-Cola celebrated the 11-10 win and an appointment with Valiente I in the first tournament semifinal on Thursday morning at 10 am.

Agustin Merlos set the pace for Erg with seven goals. Sebastian Merlos added two goals and de Narvaez was credited with one goal on the day.

Ulloa led the Coca-Cola team with four goals. Arellano and Escobar each scored three goals. Johnston scored once in the win.