Equuleus vs. Piaget
02/12/2012, 3:00 pm | Piaget Field
Piaget - 12, Equuleus - 9
Piaget’s 12-9 win over Equuleus in the 2012 Ylvisaker Cup tournament at the International Polo Club in Wellington was the capper for a day in which no less than seven games were played in the 20-goal competition. Earlier wins had Lucchese besting Villa Del Lago, 13-10; Audi holding on for an 11-8 win over ERG; Valiente II taking down Zacara 8-6; Valiente I getting past Pony Express 9-7; and Orchard Hill winning an overtime match against MetalTek.
Although it was Equuleus 8-goaler Paco de Narvaez who scored the opening goal of the match, Piaget dominated from the early chukkers, running up a 3-1 score after the first chukker with team captain Melissa Ganzi tying it up at 1-1 on a well-placed goal from the field and Miguel Astrada adding two more goals (one from the field and one on a penalty shot) for the early lead.
Astrada and Jason Crowder added single goals to open the second chukker, giving Piaget a 5-1 lead when Equuleus got into action. A penalty goal from Mariano Gonzalez was followed by a goal from de Narvaez, cutting the lead to two goals, 5-3. Two more goals from Astrada closed out the period with Piaget holding a commanding 7-3 lead.
Defenses tightened in the third period but the pace continued to escalate. A goal from the field from Astrada was answered by a goal from de Narvaez, and the first half ended with Piaget riding a four goal, 4-8 lead off of the field.
An energized Equuleus team rode onto the field in the fourth chukker and put up consecutive goals from de Narvaez and Brandon Phillips to cut the lead to two goals, 8-6. Astrada responded with two more goals and Crowder added a score as Piaget extended their lead to five goals, 11-6.
Equuleus dug deep in the fifth chukker, but was unable to score. Crowder added his third goal of the game and with just seven minutes in regulation time, Piaget led 12-6.
Equuleus fought valiantly in the sixth chukker, picking up a pair of goals from de Narvaez and a penalty goal from Gonzalez, but time ran out on them as Piaget took the game, 12-9, and assured themselves a berth in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Astrada led the Piaget team with eight goals, and was named MVP for his efforts. Crowder scored three times and Ganzi added a goal for the win.
Astrada’s mare Cumbia was honored as Best Playing Pony.
De Narvaez accounted for six goals. Gonzalez scored two penalty goals for Equuleus. Phillips added a goal.
