USPA Nespresso America Cup
Tincho and Sebastian Merlos of ERG scored a combined 18 goals to win the USPA Nespresso America Cup at Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club.
ERG met Farmers and Merchant Bank in the finals of the USPA Nespresso America Cup. ERG entered the game with a 3-0 record and FMB with a 2-1 record, their only loss in the tournament being to ERG. The Merlos brothers have proven to be a force in Santa Barbara. Tincho has been a magician with the ball, scoring an average of 11 goals per game in the tournament. Lucas Criado and Inaki Laprida, backed up by the Walker brothers have been playing well off of each other, but Sunday it was not enough to overcome the Merlos force.
Tincho Merlos won MVP and Gori Patagonia played by Sebi Merlos was awarded BPP.
Malibu Cup Final
Dark Horse/Film Finance challenged Edelweiss for the Malibu Cup on Sunday, July 27.
Dark Horse/Film Finance team, Sara Rotman, Patrick Uretz, and Santi Trotz played with Paige Beard who filled in for Leigh Breechen. Santi Trotz stole the show scoring 11 of the team’s 12 goals of the match helping Dark Horse/ Film Finance maintain the lead though the 6th chukker. Marcos Bignoli and Marcos Llamabias of Edelweiss pushed hard in the 4th chukker each scoring 2 goals in addition to a goal scored by Carol Lessine. Marcos Llambias was unable to finish the game after an injury in the 5th chukker and was replaced by Felipe Vercellino. His energy put Edelweiss back in the game scoring a goal in both the 5th and 6th chukker to tie the game and send it into OT. After three minutes of back and forth OT play, Santi Trotz tapped in a penalty 2 for the win.
Santi Trotz was named MVP, and Marcos Bignoli’s horse Rifle won Best Playing Pony.