Pony Express Wins Cup in OT
By Alex Webbe
A talented Piaget polo team led throughout most of the match, taking a 7-5 lead into the final chukker, but it was Bob Daniels’ Pony Express foursome that would tie it up and go on to capture the Elegante’ Polo 2010 USPA Spring Classic Sunday at the Grand Champions Polo club in Wellington.
With both teams sizing up one another throughout the first chukker, it was Nic Roldan who finally broke the scoreless stalemate with a well executed penalty shot for the initial 1-0 lead.
Roldan added two more goals in the second chukker while Pony Express was held to a single penalty goal from team captain Bob Daniels. Piaget left the field with a 3-1 lead.
Roldan scored two more goals in the third frame, but Pony Express responded with single goals from Michel Dorignac and Tomas Goti. Piaget held on to its two-goal lead halfway through the game, 5-3.
Both defenses tightened in the fourth chukker, with Piaget’s Juan Bollini accounting for the only goal of the period in a melee in front of the Pony Express. Piaget extended its lead to three goals, 6-3.
Roldan’s sixth goal of the contest put Piaget up, 7-3, before Pony Express rallied its attack. Two foul shots were awarded to Pony Express, with Goti converting both of them, and the fifth chukker ended with Piaget continuing to lead by a 7-5 score.
Pony Express continued to press its attack in the sixth period, with one particular charge resulting in a Piaget knock-in. With its guard down, Piaget brought the ball in only to have an alert Dorignac jump on it within thirty yards of the Piaget goal and hammer it through the goal posts. The lead was cut to a single goal, with Piaget attempting to hold on the 7-6 advantage.
Each team had a run towards goal, but it was Goti who eluded the Piaget defenders to score the tying goal in the waning seconds of regulation time and force the overtime.
After the brief intermission, both teams returned to the field to continue the competition.
Once again it was Goti who emerge with the ball, charging toward the Piaget goal. With 2:57 left in the sudden-death overtime period, Goti scored the winning, giving Pony Express the 8-7 victory and the cup.
Piaget 9-goaler Nic Roldan led all scorers with six goals while Pony Express’s Tomas Goti scored five times in the win.
Michel Dorignac was named tournament MVP with Bob Daniels’ horse, 61, (ridden by Goti) being named Best Playing Pony for the second consecutive week.
BARBAROSSA LEATHER TOPS ELANGENI RANCH IN SHOOT-OUT
Earlier in the day, Barbarossa Leather scored an overtime win over Elangeni Ranch in a rare overtime shoot-out that was decided by penalty shooting.
Following six chukkers of competitive polo that saw the score tied four times, Leo Mandelbaum scored the tying goal for Barbarossa Leather for the only goal of the sixth chukker to force the game into overtime.
With both sides deciding to determine the outcome of the game in a shootout, Barbarossa Leather scored all four of its penalty shot attempts with Elangeni Ranch falling just one goal short.
Barbarossa leather took an early lead, ending the first half with a 6-3 advantage over Barbarossa Leather before the comeback.
Marc Ganzi led the Barbarossa attack with three goals. Teammates Sugar Erskine and Leo Mandelbaum scored two goals apiece and Lucas Lalor accounted for a single goal in the win.
J. J. Celis set the pace for Elangeni Ranch with four first half goals. Joey Casey added three goals to the Elangeni total and Diego Cossio added a goal.