Circa downs Coca-Cola; Alegria sinks Heathcote

By Alex Webbe

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.

ALEGRIA 12, HEATHCOTE 11 IN OT

In earlier Ylvisaker Cup competition, Alegria fought back to tie the game in the sixth chukker and
score a win in overtime over a disappointed Heathcote team that suffered its second overtime
loss in as many games.

Alegria took control of the match early, registering three unanswered goals in the opening
chukker of play. Julian Mannix converted a penalty shot for a goal followed by a pair of goals
from Mariano Aguerre (one from the field and one on a 60-yard penalty shot). After the first
chukker of play Alegria held a 3-0 advantage over a struggling Heathcote foursome.

Lucas Monteverde got Heathcote on the scoreboard with the opening goal of the second period,
but was answered by goals from Naco Taverna and Mannix. Nick Manifold scored from the field
to cut the lead to a manageable three goals when an Alegria penalty put Monteverde at the line
with an opportunity to cut a little deeper into the Alegria lead. The short penalty shot went wide,
however, and Heathcote trailed by three goals, 5-2.

Manifold scored on a beautifully executed backhander following an attempted Alegria knock-in,
but Mannix responded with another goal from the field. Alegria continued to lead, 6-3 the first
half completed.

Heathcote got its offense working in the fourth chukker, picking up single goals from Manifold
and Monteverde and a pair of penalty goals from Biddle. Alegria got two goals from Mannix,
however, ad continued to lead, 8-7.

Mannix and Aguerre each converted a penalty shot for a goal to open the fifth, but Heathcote
stormed back into the fray. Goals from team captain Steve Lefkowitz, Biddle and Monteverde
locked it up at 10-10 at the end of the fifth chukker.

A renewed energy took the field in the sixth and final chukker of regulation play as both teams
fought for control of the ball. With 4:47 left in the chukker, Manifold scored to give Heathcote
its first lead of the game, 11-10. With just over a minute to play, Heathcote fouled and Mannix
lined up for a nearly automatic short penalty shot for a goal. The shot went wide, however, and
with time running out, Heathcote’s Biddle began to bring the ball into play. A miscue by Biddle
left the ball in front of the Heathcote goal and Mannix broke through to score a goal and tie it up
at 11-11, forcing a sudden-death overtime chukker.

With just 35 seconds gone in overtime, Heathcote fouled an Alegria charge down the field, and
Mannix converted the 40-yard shot for the 12-11 win.

Mannix scored eight times for Alegria. Aguerre accounted for three goals and Taverna scored
once.

Manifold accounted for four Heathcote goals. Biddle and Monteverde scored three goals apiece
and Lefkowitz added a goal in the loss.