Goose Creek Wins Santa Rita Abierto Opener In OT

Arianna Delin, Sharon Robb for Grand Champions Polo Club

In a thrilling finish, Cote Zegers converted a penalty shot to lead Goose Creek to a hardfought 11-10 overtime victory over Team USPA Saturday in the Santa Rita Abierto 16-Goal Tournament at Grand Champions Polo Club.

Playing together for the first time, Goose Creek came from behind in a physical game to win its tournament opener in front of a hometown crowd and worldwide ChukkerTV audience.

Goose Creek (Maureen Brennan, 1, Frankie Bilbao, 5, Cote Zegers, 5, Tommy Collingwood, 5) needed a chukker to get adjusted.

Team USPA (Cody Ellis, 2, Jesse Bray, 5, Felipe Viana, 4, Patrick Uretz, 3), despite an early lead, had all it could handle in the physical battle.

Maureen Brennan, one of the nation’s top women players and WCT pioneer, was named Most Valuable Player. Brennan is the winningest player-patron at Grand Champions for the medium-goal season. Her Northern Trust team finished its winter schedule undefeated.

“This was a good team we played today,” Brennan said. “They are tough, young good players. Every one of them is dangerous. It’s a true full four-man team. They were a lot of work.

“They are trying to get sharp for the FIP which as Team USPA they should be doing. They are trying different combinations. For us, you just have to stick with it, you got to stay in and want it. It was a good win.”

Rosita, a 12-year-old roan mare owned by Marc Ganzi, was selected Best Playing Pony. Ellis played two chukkers with her. The talented horse has competed in the 20-goal season and U.S. Open.

It was the second time in five days Goose Creek defeated Team USPA. Goose Creek also defeated Team USPA in the 18-goal Liberty Cup on Tuesday at Everglades.

“In overtime the plan was to stay close to your man and try to win the throw-in,” Collingwood said. “We thought if we won the throw-in we would have a big chance to score.”

Goose Creek pushed hard to win the throw-in. Bilbao then hit a back shot to Collingwood, who picked it up and left it to Zegers, who drove it downfield with Brennan drawing the foul to set up Zeger’s heroics.

“It was kind of an all-team play,” Collingwood said.

Team USPA was aggressive from the opening chukker against the veteran team. The team is fine tuning for the March 24-29 FIP 10th World Polo Championships in Santiago, Chile under the watchful eye of head coach Joel Baker.

Ellis, at 19 the youngest player on the team, is competing for the No. 1 position left vacant by Jared Shelton, along with Remy Muller and Will Tankard.

Team USPA, a 14-goal team, started with a 2-0 advantage based on handicap against 16-goal Goose Creek and jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the opening chukker.

“I think it took us a chukker to get adjusted to playing together,” Collingwood said. “I played with Frankie since I was 1-goal. Cote, Maureen and I played in the 18-goal together and this tournament last year. We all knew each other, it just took a little bit to feel each other out and see where we were all comfortable at.”

Goose Creek outscored Team USPA, 4-0 in the second chukker to tie the game (4-4). It was a rollercoaster ride the remainder of the game with five lead changes before Team USPA took a three-goal lead (10-7) with 4:05 left in the fifth.

In the sixth chukker, Goose Creek reeled Team USPA with tight defense and turns forcing Team USPA into making mistakes. Bilbao took advantage of a right-of-way penalty to convert a penalty shot for a 10-10 tie with 1:04 left to send the game into sudden death overtime.

Bilbao scored a game-high seven goals. Zegers had three goals and Collingwood, outstanding on defense, scored one goal.

“This was a really tough game for sure, it was tight,” Zegers said. “I think it was a game for anyone. Maureen picked the line up in overtime and that was it.

“Maureen played awesome so I am very happy she is MVP. I am always happy when I win. This was our first time playing together. It took us a while to get organized.

“Team USPA played well,” Zegers said. “Those kids have played all over the place. I have played them before. This is a really good team to go and play the FIP. They all play well in their positions and today they looked like a team.”

Bray, one of the nation’s rising players, led Team USPA with three goals. Ellis scored two goals. Viana and Uretz each had one.

“We knew it was going to be super physical and there would be a lot of running because they are a simple, open team,” Collingwood said. “I think we just had to beat them on transition plays and tight turns.

“They totally handed it to us, luckily we pulled it off,” Collingwood said. “It’s a pleasure to play with this team. The main thing is that we all kept our cool and nobody got hot-headed.”

In the early 16-goal game, Aspen Valley Polo Club (Grant Ganzi, 1, Juancito Bollini, 2, Nic Roldan, 8, Juan Bollini, 5) defeated host team Equuleus (Hugo Tagliaferro, 1, Magoo LaPrida, 8, Mariano Gonzalez, 7, Joe DiMenna, 0), 13-10.

Roldan led his team in scoring with six goals. Ganzi had three and father and son each had two. Gonzalez scored a game-high eight goals and LaPrida added two goals.

The feature game was live streamed by ChukkerTV.com which also provided instant replay and team challenges. Chukker TV.com offers re-broadcasts, Video On Demand and player interviews.

2015 POLO ON DEMAND

Grand Champions Polo Club, featuring five world-class fields, has a full schedule of tournaments from January to May. Let our polo experts create a turn-key experience including top pros to bring out the best in you and your team. Lessons are available.

16-GOAL TOURNAMENTS:

MARCH: Santa Rita Abierto; APRIL: John T. Oxley Memorial Trophy

12-GOAL TOURNAMENTS:

MARCH: The Top Pony 12-Goal Series; APRIL: Museum of Polo & Hall of Fame Challenge Cup

8-GOAL TOURNAMENTS:

MARCH: The Limited Edition 8-Goal Series and USPA Regional President’s Cup; APRIL: USPA Association Cup

6-GOAL TOURNAMENTS

MARCH: Madelon Bourdieu Memorial; APRIL: Las Acacias

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WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 33414.