Valiente II and Lechuza flex muscles in Piaget Gold Cup wins; Piaget downs Las Monjitas

By Alex Webbe

Wins by Piaget, Lechuza and Valiente II highlighted the second day of play in the 2012 USPA Piaget Gold Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington.

In the opening game of the day Piaget led a talented Las Monjitas team throughout most of the game before having to stage a last chukker rally to capture a 10-9 victory.

Javier Astrada scored the first goal of the game on a penalty conversion, but was quickly answered by a goal from the field from Gonzalito Pieres and a penalty goal from Jeff Hall. The early lead went to Piaget, 2-1.

Javier Astrada tied it at 2-2 in the second chukker with a goal from the field, but Nico Pieres went to work, scoring twice for Piaget for a 4-2 advantage.

Gonzalito Pieres put on an exhibition in ball control to open the third period, carrying the ball through, around and past all opposition before depositing it between the Las Monjitas goal posts for a 5-2 lead. An oppressive defense kept Las Monjitas from scoring while Hall added another penalty goal to the Piaget total. At the end of the first half, Piaget was sitting on top of a 6-2 score.

A determined Las Monjitas ream took the field in the fourth chukker determined to get back into the game. A penalty goal from Javier Astrada and a goal from the field from Eduardo Astrada cut the Piaget lead to two goals, 6-4. Hall closed out the chukker with a goal from the field and a 7-4 Piaget lead.

Eduardo Astrada cut the Piaget lead to two goals with the opening goal of the fifth. Gonzalito Pieres responded with a goal from the field and Hall converted a penalty shot to lead, 7-4. Eduardo Astrada scored the last goal of the chukker, but Piaget continued to lead, 9-6.

A refreshed Las Monjitas team returned to the field for the final chukker of the game. Ten-goaler Eduardo Astrada scored two quick goals for Las Monjitas, and the Piaget lead was cut to a single goal, 9-8. With 42 seconds left in regulation play, Javier Astrada took advantage of a Piaget foul to tie it up on a penalty conversion, 9-9. Time was running out, neither team had managed to break through for the tie-breaker until a long drive down field put Hall in position to drive the ball through the Las Monjitas goal posts for the 10-9 win.

Hall’s four goals (two on penalty shots) led the Piaget attack with Gonzalito Pieres and his brother Nico Pieres scoring three times apiece in the victory.

Javier Astrada and Eduardo Astrada scored for goals each (three of Eduardo’s goals were on penalty conversions). Laprida added a goal.

LECHUZA CARACAS 15, COCA-COLA 8

Lechuza Caracas flexed their muscles in Thursday afternoon’s USPA Piaget Gold Cup contest by embarrassing a veteran Coca-Cola team 15-8.

An aggressive Lechuza Caracas attack kept Coca-Cola on their heels as the entire lineup pummeled the anemic defense and ran up a 4-1 first chukker score. A penalty goal from Sapo Caset got the party started followed by a pair of well executed goals from Facundo Obregon for a 3-0 lead. Julio Arellano finally got Coca-Cola on the scoreboard, but a final goal from Juan Martin Nero gave Lechuza Caracas the 4-1 lead.

Three straight goals from Lechuza Caracas increased the lead to six goals, 7-1 before Hilario Ulloa broke the ice with his first goal of the day. The Lechuza Caracas lead stood at five goals, 7-2, after the first two chukkers of play.

Lechuza Caracas team captain Victor Vargas scored a goal from the field in the third that was sandwiched between a pair of penalty goals from Caset. A stalwart defense held Coca-Cola scoreless in the third chukker; with Lechuza Caracas taking a commanding 10-2 lead at the end of the first half.

Goals from Caset and Nero in the fourth were countered by a single penalty goal from Luis Escobar, and the chukker ended with the Lechuza Caracas lead ballooning to nine goals, 12-3.

Two goals from the field from Caset ran the score to 14-3, but Coca-Cola didn’t give up. Team captain Gillian Johnston scored from the field followed by a 60-yard penalty conversion from Arellano. The period ended with Coca-Cola trailing by nine goals, 14-5.

Coca-Cola added three more goals in the sixth chukker with two of them coming from Johnston. Escobar scored his third goal of the afternoon, but that would be where the Coca-Cola rally would end. Caset converted a 40-yard penalty shot to end the match in a 15-8 Lechuza Caracas win.

Caset led all scoring with nine goals (three on penalty shots). Obregon accounted for three goals; Nero scored twice; and Vargas added a goal in the victory.

Johnston and Escobar led the Coca-Cola offense with three goals each. Ulloa and Arellano added single goals in the loss.

VALIENTE II 16, ORCHARD HILL 7

In an impressive display of teamplay and expert mallet work, Valiente II scored a decisive 16-7 win over a struggling Orchard Hill team as USPA Piaget Gold Cup play continued.

Valiente II might have suffered an embarrassing loss in the finals of the C. V. Whitney Cup last week, but they took early control of their match, running up a 6-1 lead after the first two chukkers.

A pressing Valiente II attack forced Orchard Hill fouls that were quickly converted into goals. Three straight penalty gals were scored by 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso before Orchard Hill could react. A closing penalty conversion from Mariano Gonzalez got Orchard Hill on the scoreboard, but after one chukker they trailed 3-1. For the second straight chukker Valiente II scored the first three goals of the period, registering single goals from Alejo Taranco, Cambiaso and Pelon Stirling. A 40-yard penalty goal from Gonzalez kept Orchard Hill in the hunt, trailing 6-2.

Whether Valiente II decided to rest on their laurels or Orchard Hill had a good chukker, the game tightened in the third. The Orchard Hill defense shut out the powerful Valiente II team for the first time all afternoon and scored four unanswered goals to tie it up at 6-6. Penalty goals from Gonzalez and 10-goaler Pablo MacDonough and a pair of goals from the field from Lucas Criado had it all even at the half, 6-6.

What a difference a short intermission can be for a talented polo team that needs to get reorganized. Valiente II charged onto the field in the fourth, scoring three straight goals (Cambiaso, Taranco and Robert Jornayvaz) before a goal from MacDonough interrupted their run. A 60-yard penalty conversion from Cambiaso ended the chukker with Valiente II defending a 10-7 lead.

Four more Valiente II goals went unanswered with Jornayvaz adding two more goals from the field while Taranco and Stirling added single goals. The Orchard Hill offense was silenced as Valiente II found themselves on the winning end of a 14-7 score.

Cambiaso and Stirling scored the final two goals of the 16-7 win.

Cambiaso led the field with seven goals. Jornayvaz, Taranco and Stirling scored three goals apiece.

Gonzalez scored three times for Orchard Hill. Criado and MacDonough added single goals in a losing effort.