Audi Falls to Grand Champions 6-5
By Alex Webbe
Powered by two sixth chukker goals from Tommy Biddle, Grand Champions scored a 6-5 win over Audi Thursday afternoon in the opening match of the 2009 Rocco’s Tacos Cup played at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida.
The Grand Champions team was packed with talent in Tommy Biddle (7), John Gobin (6), Cachi Garcia (2) and Greg Keough, but a resilient Audi team of Kris Kampsen (6), Joey Casey (5), Melissa Ganzi and the combination of Meeli Galindo and Tiana Smicklas kept it from being a runaway.
Ganzi scored the opening goal of the game in the first chukker with Biddle tying it up in the second on a goal from the field.
Grand Champions held Audi scoreless in the third period as it picked up goals from Biddle, Garcia and Keough for a 4-1 lead.
Audi returned the favor in the fourth as it shut down the Grand Champions offense and cut the lead to a single goal, with two goals from Kampsen, 4-3.
Smicklas tied the game at 4-4 with the only goal of the fifth period, as Audi staged a mini rally. Casey converted a Penalty 4 in the opening minutes of the sixth chukker for a 5-4 Audi lead that would prove to be short-lived.
Two consecutive goals from Biddle sealed the deal, giving Grand Champions a 6-5 win over Grand Champions and a berth in Sunday’s finals.
Biddle led all scoring with four goals. Teammates Keough and Garcia added single goals in the win.
Kampsen set the pace for Audi with a pair of goals. Single goals were scored by Ganzi, Casey and Smicklas.
Play will continue in the Rocco’s Tacos Cup with a 3 PM Friday contest between Heronwood and Boca Developers at Palm City Polo Club in Boca Raton.