Lucchese Boot Co.

John Muse’s Lucchese team took the field Friday afternoon to face Audi in the opening round of play in the 20-goal Ylvisaker Cup at Wellington’s International Polo Club, and walked away a 10-9 winner in a hard-fought match.

Lucchese took early control of the game as Sebastian Merlos scored a pair of first chukker goals while Audi was unable to mount an effective opening period attack. Audi trailed 2-0 after the first seven minutes of play.

Both teams were miserly in their defensive efforts with Lucchese’s Kris Kampsen being allowed the only goal from the field in the second period. A foul committed by Audi n the goal mouth had the officials award a goal to the Lucchese team for a 4-0 lead.

Audi finally got on track in the third with Nic Roldan scoring in the opening twenty seconds of play. Four minutes later Roldan converted a penalty shot for a goal and Audi cut the Lucchese lead to two goals, 4-2. Merlos scored his third goal of the game in the final minute of the chukker and Audi found themselves on the losing side of a 5-2 halftime score.

The second half opened with both teams showing aggressive offenses that resulted in goals. Kampsen was credited with two goals from the field and a penalty conversion and teammate Andres Weisz scored on a goal from the field as well. Audi got two goals from Nico Pieres and one from Roldan. The fourth period ended with Lucchese extending its lead to four goals, 9-5.

Audi continued to press the attack and Lucchese, for the most part, did its job defending. Roldan converted a pair of penalty shots for goals while Merlos managed a single goal on a penalty shot for Lucchese. At the end of five, Lucchese held a 10-7 advantage.

Audi pulled out all the stops in the final chukker of the match. In the opening minute, a Lucchese penalty sent Roldan to the foul line where he converted the shot for a goal. Less than three minutes later Roldan scored from the field to cut the Lucchese lead to a single goal, 10-9. Audi continued to press the Lucchese defenders and they continued to come up strong. Kampsen’s efforts at defending the talented Roldan may well have been the difference in the match as time and again he frustrated the Audi 8-goaler, limiting him to only three goals from the field on the day. The final horn sounded and Lucchese rode off with the 10-9 win.

Kampsen and Merlos scored four goals apiece for Lucchese; Weisz added a goal and the team received one goal on a Penalty 1. Roldan set the pace for Audi with seven goals on the day, four on penalty shots. Pieres added two goals in a losing effort.

-By Alex Webbe