Coca-Cola vs. Circa

02/08/2012, 3:00 pm |

Circa - 12, Coca-Cola - 10

Circa secured a spot in the Ylvisaker Cup quarterfinals with a 12-10 win over Coca-Cola while Alegria choreographed an unlikely ending to their match with Heathcote for a 12-11 overtime victory Wednesday afternoon at the International Polo Club in Wellington.

Circa trailed Coca-Cola only two times in the first chukker of play in Wednesday’s 4pm contest before Argentine 9-goaler Hilario Ulloa led his team to a 12-10 win and a berth in next Friday’s quarterfinals.

“The team just keeps getting better with every game,” said Ulloa following the match.

In a penalty riddled opening chukker in which ten fouls were whistled by the umpires, Circa managed to escape with a 4-2 lead. Coca-Cola’s Julio Arellano scored the opening goal of the game on a penalty conversion, 1-0. Circa responded with a 40-yard penalty shot from Hilario Ulloa, 1-1. Arellano connected on a 60-yard penalty shot for a 2-1 advantage, but that would be where it would end. Coca-Cola committed some damning fouls in an effort to keep Circa from scoring, putting Ulloa at the penalty line where he converted three consecutive penalty shots for goals. After the first seven minutes of play, Circa led, 4-2.

Sugar Erskine opened the scoring in the second period with a goal from the field, cutting the lead to a single goal, 4-3. Martin Pepa responded with a goal for Circa. At the end of two periods of play Circa continued to hold a two goal advantage, 5-3.

Pepa scored Circa’s sixth goal of the game in the third but Arellano countered with a penalty goal. Circa dominated the first three chukkers of play and led 6-4 at halftime.

Coca-Cola struggled to get back into the game in the second half, but Circa continued to dictate the pace of the game. Ulloa added two more goals while the Circa defense held Coca-Cola scoreless. After four chukkers Circa sat on top of an 8-4 score and looked to be securely in control of the match.

Coca-Cola started to creep back into contention with three penalty goals in the fifth to cut the Circa lead to a single goal, 8-7, but Circa pushed right back. A penalty goal from Ulloa was followed by a goal from the field from Guille Aguero, and Circa led by three goals, 10-7. Ulloa closed the chukker with his eighth goal of the day, putting Circa on the winning end of an 11-7 score.

Pepa put Circa ahead by five goals, 12-7, with his third goal of the game when Coca-Cola staged a mini rally. Two consecutive goals from the field from Erskine and a goal from Arellano cut the lead to just two goals, but time was not on their side. With Coca-Cola trailing 12-10 the final horn sounded and Circa rode off the field with the win.

Ulloa led all scoring with eight goals. Pepa added three goals and Aguero scored once in the victory.

Arellano’s seven goals led the Coca-Cola attack. Erskine accounted for the other three goals.

The victory lifts Circa into the tournament’s quarterfinals on Friday against a yet to be determined opponent.