U.S. Open Women’s Handicap Semifinals
St. Regis vs. My Table / Riveroaks.com
Starting off the first semifinal of the U.S. Open Women’s Handicap, St. Regis took on My Table / Riveroaks.com (MT/R). Each team captained by a competitor from a U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship® team, it was their second game of the day; Lia Salvo (BTA) for My Table / Riveroaks.com and Kristy Outhier (Rocking P Lockton) for St. Regis. St. Regis received one goal on handicap due to their team handicap of 13. MT/R’s Courtney Price, showing no signs of fatigue immediately following her open semifinal win, scored the opening goal to equalize the score 1-all in the first minutes of play. Great defense along with exemplary teamwork gave MT/R an impressive six-goal streak, each player contributing at least one goal to the total tally. Kristy Outhier scored the first St. Regis goal from the field in the third to end the chukker 6-2, MT/R with a sizable lead. A St. Regis comeback possibility on the horizon, Salvo secured two unanswered goals in the final chukker to seal the MT/R victory 8-2.
Jet Linx vs. Herk’s Store and Grill
Following My Table/Riveroaks.com’s decisive victory, Jet Linx and Herk’s Store and Grill met in a fast and open second semifinal match of the day. Four combined goals from Herk’s Store and Grill, three by Hazel Jackson and one from Wendy Stover, answered by a solitary goal from Jet Linx’s Jana Conkwright made up the first half of play. Herk’s Store and Grill held a three goal lead at halftime.
Both teams capitalized on penalty conversions in the third, a 40-yard conversion from Claire Brougham and a 60-yard conversion by Jackson, maintained the gap at three (5-2) in favor of Herk’s Store and Grill. Jet Linx mounted a thrilling fourth chukker comeback beginning with two back-to-back penalty conversions from Brougham to close the gap 5-4. Jackson answered with a yet another penalty 3 conversion to maintain the lead, yet a determined Brougham scored a goal from the field to once again bring the score within one. A breakaway from Stover out of the throw-in looked like the deciding goal in the final minute, however a bad bounce out of play gave Jet Linx a knock-in and final chance to tie the game. Brougham brought the ball into play, firing a shot up field, she then followed it up but a mishit to the boards ended the game. Herk’s Store and Grill seized the win over Jet Linx with a final score of 6-5.
Herk’s Store and Grill will face off against My Table/Riveroaks.com in the finals of the U.S. Open Women’s Handicap Saturday, November 12 at 2:30pm ET. The finals will be held at the Houston Polo Club in Houston, Texas.