Flight Options ekes
out USPA Kay Colee Memorial Cup win
By Alex Webbe
Flight Options (Melissa Ganzi, Jesse Bray, Juan Bollini and
Julio Gracida) edged Audi/Palm Beach Equine (Marc Ganzi, Carlitos Gracida,
Nic Roldan and Scott Swerdlin) 8-7 in the final of the 2014 USPA Kay Colee
Memorial cup Sunday afternoon at the Grand Champions Polo club in Wellington,
Florida.
The 12-goal Audi/Palm Beach Equine team received one
goal by handicap but watched as an aggressive Flight Options attack scored two
first chukker goals for a 2-1 lead. Juan
Bollini scored the first goal of the game to tie it at 1-1 and team captain
Melissa Ganzi made it 2-1 to close out the chukker.
Audi/Palm Beach Equine returned to the field with a vengeance
in second period play. An aggressive
attack resulted in three Nic Roldan goals while a disciplined defense held
Flight Options scoreless. After two
chukkers of play, Audi/Palm Beach Equine found themselves in possession of
a 4-2 lead.
Roldan scored his fourth goal of the game in the third, but
Flight Options 4-goaler Jesse Bray leveled the score with three penalty
conversions. At the end of the first
half it was all even at 5-5.
Melissa Ganzi put Flight Options back on top, 6-5, with her
second goal of the game, but Marc Ganzi responded with a well-executed scoring
run down to make it 6-6.
The parity of the two teams was evident again in the fifth
period with Marc Ganzi scoring for Audi/Palm Beach Equine only to be
answered by a goal from the field from Bray.
After five chukkers of lay the score was deadlocked at 7-7.
Both teams struggled for control of the ball in the final
chukker. Shots at goal went wide and scoring
opportunities were missed as the ball traveled up and down the field. It was Bollini who finally scored the winning
goal on a powerful goal shot for the 8-7 victory.
Jesse Bray led the Flight Options attack with
four goals (three on penalty shots).
Melissa Ganzi and Juan Bollini scored two goals apiece for the win. Roldan’s four goals set the pace for Audi/Palm
Beach Equine. Marc Ganzi accounted for
the other two goals in the loss.
Bollini was named MVP for his efforts while Melissa Ganzi’s
Open Quarzo, an 8-year-old Dark Bay stallion owned by Halo Polo earned Best
Playing Pony honors.
Aspen Valley wins
round-robin
In a round-robin consolation match Aspen Valley Polo Club
(Alejandro Gonzalez, Martin Pepa, Kris Kampsen and Carey Beer) scored wins over
Newport (Gene Goldstein, Leo Mandelbaum, Brandon Phillips and Roberto Gonzalez)
and Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Guille Aguero and Wes
Finlayson).
Aspen Valley opened the competition with a three chukker
mini-match with Newport. An opening goal
from Kris Kampsen was countered by a goal from Newport’s Brandon Phillips,
1-1.
Second chukker action saw Kampsen score his second goal of the
game while the Aspen Valley defense held Newport scoreless. Aspen Valley moved in front, 2-1.
Leo Mandelbaum tied it at 2-2 in the third, but three
consecutive goals from Aspen Valley had them celebrating the 5-2 win.
Newport held the field for the second three chukkers of play
as they faced a young Casablanca lineup.
Casablanca received 2½ goals by handicap with Wes Finlayson
adding two goals in the opening chukker.
Brandon Phillips scored once for Newport who trailed 4½ to 1.
Neither team was able to score in the second chukker as
defenses ruled the field. Casablanca remained
in the lead by three-and-a-half goals, 4½ to 1.
Newport team captain Gene Goldstein scored the first goal of
the third chukker, but Juancito Bollini responded with a goal from the field
for the final 5½ to 2 Casablanca win.
The final three chukkers of play pitted Aspen Valley against
Casablanca. Each team had beaten
Newport, and the winner would walk away with a first place finish in the
consolation match.
Aspen Valley played flawless defense, shutting out
Casablanca all three chukkers. Kampsen
scored a goal in each chukker with Alejandro Gonzalez adding a goal in the final
period. Aspen Valley rode away with the 4-2
win (Casablanca received two goals by handicap).