Competition heats up for the Lisle Nixon Memorial
With one tournament under their belts, the four teams entered into the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club Lisle Nixon Memorial have ironed out the kinks and doubled down on strategy in hopes of outsmarting the competition. With the average differential between the final scores being only one-and-a-half-goals, every match is up for grabs.
The first matchup of the Lisle Nixon Memorial featured a tightly contested match between Antelope and Klentner Ranch. The score favored Klentner Ranch in the first half of play, but a second half riddled with fouls and an offensive run in the fourth and fifth chukker tipped the scales towards Antelope.
Chukker 1: 3-1 KR
Chukker 2: 5-2 KR
Chukker 3: 5-4 KR
Chukker 4: 8-7 Antelope
Chukker 5: 11-9 Antelope
Chukker 6: 12-10 Antelope
Antelope Jr. squeezed by Farmers & Merchants Bank by one goal in the second match of the Lisle Nixon Memorial. With three Team USPA members (Viana, Radcliff, Wright) out on the field, the game reflected a fast and open style of play. Antelope Jr. dominated the first two chukkers, with Vercellino scoring six goals in a row. A goal by Walker and a second by Bignoli kept them in the running. Farmers & Merchants Bank locked down Antelope Jr. holding them scoreless in the third chukker, allowing them to push forward scoring two more goals. They held tight in the fourth chukker and tied the score up with Antelope Jr. late in the fifth, but two more goals by Vercellino seals the win for Antelope Jr.
Chukker 1: 3-1 Antelope Jr.
Chukker 2: 6-3 Antelope Jr.
Chukker 3: 6-5 Antelope Jr.
Chukker 4: 8-7 Antelope Jr.
Chukker 5: 9-9
Chukker 6: 11-10 Antelope Jr.
Jeff Graham replaced Geoff Palmer in the battle of the Antelope teams. Antelope dominated throughout the match, but three penalty goals and a fourth goal from the field tied the match up in the sixth chukker to send it into an addition chukker. Young Figueras claimed the golden goal for Antelope.
Chukker 1: 3-1 Antelope
Chukker 2: 5-2 Antelope
Chukker 3: 5-4 Antelope
Chukker 4: 7-5 Antelope
Chukker 5: 9-8 Antelope
Chukker 6: 12-12
Chukker 7: 13-12 Antelope
After falling short in their first matchup against Antelope, Klentner Ranch came back with a vengeance against Farmers & Merchants Bank for the Sunday 3:00 match. A goal each by Bray, Wulff and Klentner in the first chukker was met by a single goal from the field by Viana. Bignoli closed the gap, scoring the next two goals to tie the score midway through the second chukker but a goal each by Luke Klentner and Bray pushed Klentner Ranch ahead once again. Farmers & Merchants Bank caught up in the third chukker, tying the score at six goals a piece before leading early in the fourth chukker. Wulff quickly popped in a goal from the penalty line before Bray went on a scoring streak, scoring three consecutive goals to put Klentner Ranch ahead 10-7 in the fourth. Farmers & Merchants fought back and kept Klentner Ranch from advancing their lead further in the fifth. Klentner Ranch remained scoreless in the sixth chukker of play, but their tight defense only allowed one goal to be scored by Walker giving them the win at 12-10.
Chukker 1: 3-1 KR
Chukker 2: 5-3 KR
Chukker 3: 6-6
Chukker 4: 10-7 KR
Chukker 5: 12-9 KR
Chukker 6: 12-10 KR
Team Rosters
Antelope Jr.
Grant Palmer A
Jim Wright 3
Felipe Vercellino 6
Herndon Radcliff 3
Klentner Ranch
Luke Klentner A
Jesse Bray 5
Santi Wulff 5
Justin Klentner 1
Antelope
Hilario Figueras 2
Peke Gonzalez 5
Santi Trotz 5
Geoff Palmer A
Farmers & Merchants Bank
Dan Walker 2
Marcos Bignoli 4
Felipe Viana 5
Leigh Brecheen A
Upcoming games:
Friday May 25
4pm FMB vs Antelope
Saturday May 26
10am Antelope JR vs Klentner Ranch
Sunday May 27
12:30pm Consolation
3pm Lisle Nixon Final