Casablanca grounds
Flight Options 12-10
By Alex Webbe
Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Wes Finlayson and
Nic Roldan) took advantage of one goal by handicap as they rolled past Flight
Options 12-10 in the opening round of play in the 2014 US Trust Cup at
Wellington’s Grand Champions Polo Club Thursday morning.
Wes Finlayson’s first goal of the day gave Casablanca an
early 2-0 lead. Melissa Ganzi responded
with a goal for Flight Options, 2-1.
Consecutive goals from Finlayson and Juancito Bollini had Casablanca up
by three goals, 4-1. A 40-yard penalty
conversion by Marc Ganzi closed out the first chukker with Casablanca in the lead,
4-2
Eight-goaler Nic Roldan scored the opening goal of the
second period, 5-2, when Flight Options fired back. Goals from Melissa Ganzi and Kris Kampsen cut
into the Casablanca lead. After two
chukkers Flight Options trailed by a single goal, 5-4.
Finlayson and Melissa Ganzi traded goals in the third as Casablanca
maintained their fragile one goal lead, 6-5.
Roldan closed out the chukker with his second goal of the game for a7-5
halftime lead.
Both defenses tightened up in the second half with each team
limited to a single goal. Roldan put
Casablanca on the scoreboard first for the three goal, 8-5 advantage. Marc Ganzi responded with a goal for Flight
Options. Casablanca retained their two
goal lead, 8-6.
Marc Ganzi opened the fifth chukker with a goal from the
field, 8-7. Roldan answered back with a
60-yard penalty conversion, 9-7. Melisa
Ganzi scored her fourth goal of the game to cut the lead back down to one goal,
9-8, and Marc Ganzi tied it on an aggressive individual effort. With one chukker left in regulation time, the
score was all even at 9-9.
Casablanca regrouped and returned to the field a new
team. Consecutive goals from Roldan,
Finlayson and Juancito Bollini had them leading by three goals, 12-9. Flight Options struggled to get back into the
game but a resolute defense turned aside attack after attack. Kampsen finally broke through for a score but
there was little time left on the clock.
The final horn sounded giving the game to Casablanca, 12-10.
Roldan scored five goals for Casablanca. Finlayson added four goals and Juancito
Bollini scored twice and the team received one goal by handicap in the win. Marc and Melissa Ganzi scored four goals
apiece for Flight Options. Kampsen as
credited with two goals in the loss.
Casablanca will play the winner of Friday‘s 3PM game between
Postage Stamp Farm (Alejandro Gonzalez, Annabelle Garret and Guille Aguero) and
Newport (Gene Goldstein, Leo Mandelbaum, Roberto Gonzalez and Leo Mandelbaum)
in Sunday’s 3PM final.. Flight Options
will play the loser in a Sunday 4:30PM consolation match.
The Grand Champions Polo club is located on the corner of
Lake Worth Avenue and South Shore Boulevard in Wellington, Florida, and everyone
is welcome to watch the games in a relaxed atmosphere during the fall
tournament season.