Park Place win opener over Segavas
Park Place claimed a 12-11 win over Segavas in Game 4 of the 2020 Cartier Queen’s Cup played at Black Bears Polo Club on Thursday as the penalty shooting of Facundo Pieres brothers denied a Segavas line-up who created more chances but were unable to take the key opportunities.
Double the shots at goal and double the number of penalty shots told the story as Segavas’ missed opportunities and Facundo Pieres’s accuracy from the penalty spot kept Park Place in the game.
Segavas produced eight more assists than Park Place but suffered from three close range misses over the six chukkas that should have seen them win, while two-time finalists of the past two years Park Place stayed in the game with accuracy when it counted.
The first half saw Segavas concede seven fouls to Park Place’s two, with Park Place converting six of those seven, while Segavas converted four of their six shots at goal.
The first half ended with yet another Segavas attack but with a familiar sight of the ball creeping wide.
The second half saw Segavas improve their discipline and give themselves a chance of winning through scoring, rather than conceding soft penalties.
As the fourth chukka started, with Park Place leading 8-6, the next goal would be crucial. Three wide attempts at goal from Segavas and it looked like Park Place would stretch away as the Pieres brothers forced yet another foul.
But as Pittaluga pulled one back to make it 9-7, and pressure from Segavas saw Park Place begin to foul and concede a close-range penalty, the Park Place cushion was reduced to one at 9-8.
Then came the moment the game ignited with the goal of the day as Clarkin passed long and left to the impressive Luke Wiles who skilfully controlled the ball through traffic and hit a long range shot to level the scores at 9-9.
As Gonzalo Pieres fouled on a 50/50 ball with JP Clarkin, the ball was marched back up towards the Park Place 40-yard penalty spot and Pittaluga took the chance to put Segavas in front, momentum was with Segavas in the fifth chukka.
Horsepower though appeared to make a difference in the next key play as Gonzalo Pieres stole the ball from Segavas and ran the length to even things up.
With the game tight, the Pieres’ went back to their winning truck and trailer formula and Facundo Pieres shot from 100 yards, as 10 goalers do, to put his team ahead.
It was Gonzalo Pieres who clinched the win for Park Place with a coolly taken dribble and drive.
A third in front of goal miss from Segavas in the final minute again saved Park Place, and the final shot from Pittaluga – just wide – in the dying seconds, summed up the game for Segavas.
All matches remain behind closed doors but every game is being filmed and can be viewed LIVE via a pay per view service at www.guardspoloclub.com/guards-tv
Photo credit : Images of Polo