Audi wins USPA NorthAmerican Cup, 11-10; ELG beats Beluga 15-8
By Alex Webbe
A disciplined Audi polo team (Marc Ganzi, Carlitos Gracida,Nic Roldan and Michel Dorignac) scored ran up a 6-4 halftime lead overCasablanca (Grant Ganzi, Brandon Phillips, Mike Azzaro and Jeff Hall) in thefinals of the 2013 USPA North American Cup at the Grand Champions Polo Club,but needed to rally for a three-goal sixth chukker to register an 11-10 win andsuccessfully defend their 2012 title.
Audi received one goal by handicap from the 20-goalCasablanca lineup and ran it into a 2-0 lead on the strength of a first chukkergoal from Nic Roldan in the opening minute of play. A minute later, Casablanca’s Jeff Hallconverted a 60-yard penalty shot, 2-1, and teammate Mike Azzaro tied it up at2-2, with 1:32 left in the chukker.
Roldan stopped a shot on goal from Casablanca in the secondchukker and raced over 200-yards before unleashing a 70-yard shot through the goalsposts for a 3-2 Audi lead. Penaltiesstemmed the Audi surge, with Hall and Grant Ganzi each converting penalty shotsfor goals and a 4-3 lead.
Michel Dorignac’s first goal of the game tied it up for Audiat 4-4. Two more goals from Roldan (oneon a 60-yard penalty conversion) closed out the first half with Audi in front,6-4.
Grant Ganzi stepped up to the in the second half, scoringconsecutive goals (one on a penalty shot) to tie it up at 6-6. Marc Ganzi (Grant’s father) responded with apenalty goal of this own, 7-6. Hallscored the final goal of the period and the two teams rode off the field at theend of the chukker deadlocked at 7-7.
Azzaro added two more goals in the fifth while limiting Audito a single penalty goal from Marc Ganzi. With one chukker left in regulation play, Casablanca was on top, 9-8.
Roldan tied it up at 9-9 in the opening minute of the sixthchukker, and Marc Ganzi added a penalty goal as Audi took back the lead,10-9. Roldan carried the ball the lengthof the field for his sixth goal of the game and an 11-9 advantage. With 1:29 left in the period, Azzaro scoredto cut the Audi lead to a single goal, 11-10. Casablanca took control of the ensuing throw-in and attacked the Audigoal. A united defensive effort by theentire Audi team cut the Casablanca rally short as time expired and Audicelebrated the 11-10 victory.
Roldan led all scoring with six goals (one on a penaltyshot). Marc Ganzi converted threepenalty shots for goals and Dorignac added a goal for the win. Audi also received one goal by handicap. Azzaro led the Casablanca attack with fourgoals. Grant Ganzi and Hall added threegoals apiece in a losing effort.
Azzaro’s Gypsy Girl, a three-year-old black mare, receivedBest Playing Pony honors while Dorignac was named MVP.
ELG 15, BELUGA 8
In earlier 20-goal competition, ELG (Avery Chapman, GuilleAguero, Kris Kampsen and Carlucho Arellano) ran over Beluga (Misha Rodzianko,Luis Escobar, Jeff Blake and Joey Casey) in a 15-8 win for the Beluga Cup.
Goals from Kris Kampsen and Guille Aguero gave ELG the early2-0 lead before Misha Rodzianko finally got Beluga on the scoreboard with a30-yard penalty conversion, 2-1. JeffBlake and Avery Chapman exchanged goals in the final minutes of play with ELGholding on to a narrow 3-2 edge.
ELG took control of the second chukker, shutting down theBeluga offense and scoring three straight goals. Chapman converted a penalty shot to open theperiod followed by goals from the field from Aguero and Carlucho Arellano. After two chukkers ELG boasted a 6-2 lead.
Beluga got back into the game again in the third, gettingopening goals from Luis Escobar (60-yard penalty goal) and Rodzianco (a 30-yardpenalty goal), 6-4. Arellano and Kampsenanswered back with single goals from the field, 8-4. Aguero and Escobar exchanged goals to end thefirst half with Beluga trailing by four goals, 9-5.
For the first time all day, Beluga managed to shut down theBeluga attack, but they were unable to provide any offense of their own. After a scoreless fourth chukker the scoreremained the same with ELG in possession of a 9-5 lead.
A pair of goals from Rodzianko (one on a penalty conversion)cut the ELG lead to two goals, 9-7. Kampsen scored from the field and Arellano converted a penalty shot fora goal to restore the four goals lead, 11-7.
ELG drove in four more goals in the final chukker as Agueroscored twice and Chapman and Arellano added single goals. Beluga was held to a single score fromEscobar and suffered the 15-8 loss.
Aguero scored five times. Arellano added four goals and Chapman and Kampsen scored three goalsapiece for the win. Rodzianko’s fourgoals led the Beluga offense. Escobar scored three times and Blake added a goal in a losing effort.
Halo Pol’s Bungalow, a six-year-old Bay, was named Best Playing Pony.