Audi overwhelms Lucchese to ride into Bombardier Pacific Coast Open finals: 11-10
Carlos Gracida notched the game-winner in the sudden-death overtime, as Audi edged out Adolfo Cambiaso-led Lucchese by a single goal in the semi-finals of the 2011 Bombardier Pacific Coast Open finals that was held at the Santa Barbara Polo Club.
Marc Ganzi – the player from the winning side while briefing the media after the match said that he had great chances to score goals but failed to do so. He underlined, “I had three great opportunities to score in the chukker and didn’t. The shots were close,
but not through the posts. Carlitos played really well today. He was quick on offense and effective on defence. You really feel the pressure when there are four minutes left to play and your trailing Cambiaso’s team by three goals but we never gave up.”
Lucchese and Audi – both the talented teams downed the field to determine one of the two final squads.
The fast-paced game was opened in the hand of Jeff Blake who drew first blood in the very early minutes to put the defending champions Lucchese ahead onto the score-chart. Marc Ganzi, the Audi team skipper within few minutes scored twice and changed the
lead into their favour. Veteran Argentinean came into action in the waning moments and tied the knots at two-each at the end of the first frame.
In the second set of play, Cambiaso scored twice while his team-mates Jeff Blake and Julio Gracida added one goal each and established a four-goal lead, 6-2. Carlos Gracida and Gonzalito Pieres scored off one penalty shot each in the third set of play and
closed out the first half at 6-4. The two sides made their defences further tight in the second period. The only goal of the fourth chukka was scored in the hands of Pieres that reduced the difference down to one, 6-5.
Cambiaso in the fifth set of play rejuvenated their efforts and obtained four more goals in the seven minutes of play. Cambiaso notched a pair of goals from the field while his team-mates Blake and Julio Gracida scored once each to take the score up to ten.
From the other side, Pieres and Ganzi scored once and reduced the edge down to three goals at 10-7 with one chukka left to play.
In the last chukka, Pieres and Carlos Gracida scored two and one goal respectively and levelled the score at ten-all. The stalemate pushed the two teams into the extra-time. With two minutes into the sudden-death round, Carlos Gracida did score a goal from
the field effort and sealed the victory for Audi over the Lucchese - the former champions of Bombardier Pacific Coast Open.
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