Zacara and Lechuza Caracas skate past opposition

By Alex Webbe

Zacara (2-0) and Lechuza Caracas (2-0) skated past the opposition in Saturday afternoon’s Maserati US Open games at the International Polo Club in Wellingtonas tournament play continues in American polo’s most prized cup.

Faraway 8-goaler Matias Magrini scored the first goal of the game two minutes into the first chukker, but Zacara wasted little time in responding. Magoo Laprida tied it up at 1-1 just a minute later, and Zacara 10-goaler Facundo Pieres gave them a 2-1 lead with 3:05 left in the period. Mike Azzaro’s first goal of the game came with 48 seconds on the clock and gave Zacara an opening chukker 3-1 advantage.

Azzaro and Magrini exchanged goals in the first half of the second chukker, with Magrini blasting the ball through the Zacara goalposts from over 60-yards out. The Zacara lead held at two goals, 4-2. Nic Roldan converted a penalty shot for Faraway, cutting the lead to a single goal, 4-3 when Zacara answered back. Consecutive goals from Laprida and Pieres (60-yard penalty conversion) ended the chukker with Zacara leading by three goals, 6-3.

Magrini jumped on a Zacara clearing shot that was left right in front of the goal in the first 30 seconds of the second period that cut the lead back to two goals, 6-4. Roldan converted another penalty shot at the 3:57 mark to make it a one goal game again, 6-5. Laprida and Pieres scored consecutive goals for an 8-5 Zacara lead. Magrini’s fourth goal of the game was followed by a goal from Laprida with 10 seconds left on the clock. The first half ended with Zacara in control of the game and a confused Orchard Hill foursome being unable to put two plays together. The first half ended with Lechuza Caracas holding a three goal edge, 9-6, with three chukkers left to be played.

Pieres added two more goals in the fourth chukker for an 11-6 Zacara lead. Nic Roldan fought desperately to keep Faraway in the game with his third penalty conversion of the night. The period ended with Zacara in front by four goals, 11-7.

Pieres scored on the opening throw-in of the fifth chukker, and Laprida scored his fifth goal of the game to put Zacara ahead by five goals, 12-7. Two minutes later Laprida added another goal for the final score in the chukker. With one chukker left to be played, Zacara was riding a comfortable 13-7, six goal edge.

Two minutes into the final chukker Azzaro scored on a shot from the field, and Pieres added a goal on a shot from over 120 yards in front of the goal for the final score in the 15-7 Zacara win. While the Zacara record sits at 2-0, Faraway remains winless at 0-2.

Pieres was credited with a game high seven goals (two on penalty shots). Laprida added five goals and Azzaro scored three times. Faraway got four goals from Magrini and three more from Roldan in the loss.

LECHUZA CARACAS 13, ORCHARD HILL 10

Lechuza Caracas (2-0) closed out Maserati US Open play for the day with a 13-10 win over Steve Van Andel’s Orchard Hill (0-2) lineup to join Valiente (2-0), Zacara (2-0) and Alegria (1-0) as one of only four teams to remain undefeated in the tournament.

Lechuza Caracas scored the first three goals of the game with Polito Pieres scoring just two minutes into the game followed by a goal from 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero at 3:52. Pieres made it 3-0 on a 60-yard penalty shot. Matias MacDonough finally got Orchard Hill on the scoreboard with a penalty conversion. The chukker ended with no further scoring and Lechuza Caracas on top of a 3-1 lead.

Seven-goaler Francisco Elizalde took the opening throw-in in the second chukker and raced to the Orchard Hill goal for a score, 4-1. Elizalde topped that performance with a beautifully-executed cut shot that had Lechuza Caracas in front, 5-1. Matias MacDonough converted a penalty shot, cutting the Lechuza Caracas lead to three goals, 5-2. Nero’s second goal of the game came with just 37 seconds left in the chukker, putting Lechuza Caracas ahead by three, 6-2.

Matias MacDonough and Pieres monopolized the scoring in the third chukker. Matias MacDonough scored on two penalty shots for goals while Pieres scored three times (once from the field. At the end of the first half Lechuza Caracas appeared to be in full control of a 9-4 contest.

Both teams pumped up their defenses in the fourth. Two minutes into the period Pieres got loose and scored a goal from the field. Matias MacDonough responded for Orchard Hill with his fifth penalty goal of the match. The period ended with Lechuza Caracas sitting on a comfortable 10-5, five goal lead.

Matias MacDonough converted a penalty shot for an Orchard Hill goal to open the fifth. Lechuza Caracas team captain, Victor Vargas, picked up at midfield and carried it over 150 yards down the field to score. With one chukker left to play Lechuza Caracas was on top, 11-6.

Orchard Hill opened the final chukker with consecutive goals from Brazilian 8-goaler Rodrigo Andrade and Matias MacDonough, 11-8. Vargas and Pieres responded for Lechuza Caracas with single goals from the field to make it 13-8. Andrade added two more goals in the final two minutes of the game for the final 13-10 score and a second straight win for Lechuza Caracas.

Pablo MacDonough led the Orchard Hill offense with seven goals, all on penalty shots. Andrade scored three sixth chukker goals in the loss. Pieres led the Lechuza Caracas attack with seven goals (three on penalty shots). Vargas, Nero and Elizalde each scored twice in the win.