Elangeni Ranch scores overtime win in USPA Fall Classic Finals
By Alex Webbe
If anyone needed affirmation of the current handicapping
system employed by the United States Polo Association they need only attend
Sunday morning’s final match of the USPA Fall Classic at the Grand Champions
Polo Club in Wellington where two 17-goal teams battled into sudden-death
overtime before Elangeni Ranch managed to score the winning goal against a
determined Newport foursome.
Hector Galindo opened the scoring for Elangeni Ranch, but
Newport’s Paul Knapp answered with a goal in a low scoring 1-1 first chukker.
The pace quickened with drive after drive being
aggressively repelled by the defenses.
Gene Goldstein put Newport on top, 2-1, but a goal from Elangeni Ranch’s
Diego Cossio ended the period in a 2-2 deadlock.
Knapp’s second goal of the game gave Newport a brief 3-2
advantage before a pair of goals from the evasive Galindo ended the first
half. Elangeni Ranch rode off the field
after the first three chukkers with a 4-3 lead.
Pite Merlos tied it up at 4-4 with a penalty conversion
to open the second half, but goals from the field from Jota Chavanne and
Galindo had Elangeni Ranch leading by two goals, 6-4, after the fourth chukker.
“I felt good about the team,†said Galindo. We were playing well together, and the horses
were performing well.â€
Consecutive penalty goals from Merlos leveled the score
at 6-6 in the fifth chukker, and Goldstein’s second goal of the day gave
Newport its first lead since the second chukker. Cossio closed out the scoring with a goal
from the field. At the end of five
periods of play the score was all even at 7-7.
Cossio put Elangeni Ranch ahead, 8-7, with a goal in the
sixth, but Knapp responded for Newport with a tying goal to make it 8-8. Chavanne gave the lead to Elangeni Ranch with
his second goal of the day, 9-8, but with time running out, Merlos knotted it
up at 9-9 with his fourth penalty goal of the match.
Following a brief recess, the teams returned to the
field. Each team had a brief run at goal
before Galindo took control of the ball and scored the winning goal with his
fifth goal of the game.
“I knew we were going to win,†he smiled. “I knew we had it today.â€
Galindo led all scoring with five goals and earned MVP
honors. Cossio scored three times and
Chavanne added two goals for the win.
Merlos scored four goals, all on penalty shots, for
Newport. Knapp added three goals and
team captain Gene Goldstein scored twice in a losing effort.
Halo Polo’s Miami, played
by Merlos, and was named Best Playing Pony.