Tonkawa Topples Travieso 14-5
Tonkawa defeated Travieso 14-5 Tuesday at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) as the Ylvisaker Cup resumed. Both teams made their debuts in the tournament, with Tonkawa coming off a two-week break after the Joe Barry Memorial and Travieso making their first appearance of the 2017 season.
Tonkawa got off to an early 2-0 lead on goals from Costi Caset and Sapo Caset They dominated play early with six shots on goal, putting Travieso on their heels. The Travieso team didn’t record a shot on goal in the first chukker as they tried to get accustomed to playing with each other for the first time this season. Tonkawa took full advantage, wasting no time in extending their lead. In the second chukker Tonkawa put six more shots on goal, converting two of them, with one from Jeff Hildebrand, who pushed his team forward the whole game. Through two chukkers, it was a very fast-paced game with only one foul, which didn’t allow Travieso to get settled in.
Travieso finally got on the board in the third chukker on a nice goal from Marquitos Alberdi, who held off 10-goaler Sapo Caset to finish off a nice run. But Tonkawa began to run away with it, scoring four more goals to take an 8-1 lead going into the half.
A better fourth chukker saw Sebastian Merlos record two of his four goals on the day. Tonkawa capitalized on great performances from Costi and Sapo Caset throughout the game. The two had five and six goals on the game respectively, never allowing Travieso to get within reach of a Tonkawa team that was fired on all cylinders the entire time.
The tournament continues Wednesday with three games. Grand Champions/Casablanca plays Goose Creek at 10 a.m. on field 4 at IPC. The afternoon games will take place at Valiente Polo Farm: Mt. Brilliant faces Valiente II at 12:30 p.m. on Valiente field 3, followed by Orchard Hill vs. Valiente I at 3:30 on Valiente field 1.
All games in the Ylvisaker Cup are being live streamed on the USPA Polo Network: uspolo.org.