2009 US Trust Cup opening game

Audi Falls to Boca Developers in OT


By Alex Webbe


 


Trailing by four goals at halftime, Boca Developers bounced back to score a 12-11 overtime win over Audi in the opening game of the 2009 US Trust Cup.


 


Audi received four goals by handicap and added to it with four goals from Audi team captain Melissa Ganzi.  Ganzi scored two goals in the first chukker and another pair of goals in the third chukker.   Boca Developers got single goals from each of its team members with Brian Street, Diego Cossio, Luis Escobar and Carlos Baez each chipping in a goal from the field.


 


Leo Mandelbaum scored the first goal of the fourth chukker to give Audi a commanding 9-4 advantage before Escobar got Boca Developers on the scoreboard again.  Audi continued to lead, 0-5.


 


Escobar converted a penalty shot to open the fifth period but was countered by another goal from Mandelbaum before scoring two more goals from the field.  Audi continued to lead, but its lead was cut to two goals, 10-8.


 


Juan Bollini hammered in a 100-yard shot for a goal in the sixth chukker to put Audi up 11-8 before Luis Escobar shifted into overdrive.  Escobar converted a penalty shot and added two more from the field to tie the game up in the final seconds of regulation time, and force the sudden-death overtime period.


 


Seconds into the extra period Audi committed a foul that sent Escobar to the penalty line again.  He scored his ninth goal of the match to give Boca Developers the 12-11 win and secure them a spot in Sunday’s cup finals.


 


Play will continue in the 2009 US Trust Cup on Friday, October 30, at the Grand Champions Polo Club, with a 4 pm match between a GTP Polo team of Marc Ganzi, Kris Kampsen, Joey Casey and Peter Rizzo, and the Grand Champions side of Greg Keough, Charlie Muldoon, J. J. Celis and Ruben Gracida.  The finals of the tournament and the consolation finals are slated to be played on Sunday, November 1 with matches at 9:30 am and 11 am on the Grand Champions Polo Club fields.