Valiente I remains undefeated; Piaget wins in OT

By Alex Webbe

Valiente II remained undefeated at 2-0 after downing a scrappy Orchard Hill (0-3)
foursome that staged a second half rally that nearly upset Bob Jornayvaz and his
teammates in competition for the 20-goal, Joe Barry Memorial Cup at the International
Polo Club in Wellington Wednesday afternoon.

Valiente II rang up four goals in the first chukkers with Julio Gracida and Nacho Astrada
registering single goals from the field. Toto Collardin added a pair for the 4-2 lead.
Orchard hiss got two goals from Facundo Obregon (one from the field and one on a
penalty shot).

Second chukker goals from Collardin Astrada and Gracida had Valiente II boasting a
7-3 lead after two chukkers of play. A single goal from Obregon was all the offense
Orchard Hill could muster as they struggled to find a successful rhythm to their play.

The Orchard Hill defense slowed down the Valiente II attack in the third chukker,
holding them to a single Astrada goal. Kris Kampsen converted a 40-yard penalty shot
for Orchard Hill’s only goal. At the end of the first half, Valiente II held on to an 8-4 lead.

Valiente ran it up to 10-4 in the fourth chukker, with both Gracida and Astrada scoring
single goals. Orchard Hill fought to stay in the game but received only a single penalty
goal from Obregon. At the end of four chukkers Valiente II led by five goals, 10-5.

For the first timer all day Orchard Hill outscored Valiente II. Fifth chukker combat
continued with Obregon scoring twice while Lucas Criado scored his first goal of the
afternoon. Collardin scored a goal from the field for Valiente II and Gracida added a
penalty goal to end the chukker with Orchard Hill trailing, 12-8 with seven minutes left in
regulation time.

Obregon added two goals from the field and two goals on penalty shots in the fourth,
cutting deeply into the Valiente II lead. Astrada replied with a goal from the field and a
converted penalty shot for the final 14-12 win.

Obregon led all scoring with ten goals. Criado and Kampsen added singe goals.

Astrada scored six goals for Valiente II. Collardin and Gracida scored four goals apiece
in the win.

PIAGET 8, VALIENTE I 7 OT

Piaget (1-1) scored an 8-7 win over Valiente I (1-2) in Wednesday’s 3pm contest with
the winning goal coming on a goal from Jason Crowder in sudden-death overtime.

Valiente I scored the first five goals of the game before Piaget answered in the second
chukker.

Valiente I got started with first chukker goals from Jeff Hall, Santiago Bottaro and
Santiago Toccalino while Piaget struggled to organize its defense.

Bottaro opened the second period with a goal from the field while Toccalino converted
a 60-yard penalty shot. Miguel Astrada scored Piaget’s first goal from the field, adding
a second score on a penalty shot. After two chukkers of play Valiente I held a 5-3
advantage.

The Piaget defense stiffened in the third chukker, and Valiente I found itself expending
more time defending than mounting attacks. A defensive foul by Valiente I resulted in
a foul that enabled Astrada to convert a penalty shot for a goal. Valiente I continued to
lead, but the lead had been cut to two goals, 5-3, to end the half.

The Piaget defense continued to clamp down on Valiente I in second half action,
pitching a second consecutive shutout “inning”. Astrada added a goal from the field,
and at the end of the fifth chukker Valiente I found itself trailing by a single goal, 5-4.

Toccalino finally got Valiente I on the scoreboard in the fifth with a goal from the field.
Jason Crowder scored his first goal of the match. Piaget continued to trail by a single
goal, but the momentum had shifted and Valiente I wasn’t happy with it.

Sixth chukker play saw Astrada tie it up at 6-6 for Valiente I, but Toccalino scored his
fourth goal of the game (penalty shot) with less than two minutes to play to give Valiente
I a 7-6 advantage. The teams battled furiously with precious seconds remaining when
Astrada broke loose with the ball. He carried it through the Valiente defenders to score,
7-7, and find himself scoring the tying goal as the horn sounded.

After a brief intermission the teams returned to the field for a throw-in that Argentine
9-goaler Miguel jumped all over. Astrada drove the ball down the field and galloped
after it with a Valiente I player in hot pursuit. A finishing shot at the Valiente goal it the
goalpost and bounced back onto the field where a trailing Crowder drove it through the
goalposts for the 8-7 win.

Astrada led the Piaget attack with six goals. Crowder scored twice, including the game
winner in overtime.

Toccalino was credited with four goals for Valiente I. Bottaro scored twice and Hall
registered one goal on the day.