San Saba Edges Lechuza Caracas To Capture Division; Broncos Beat Audi to Clinch Playoff Berth in Ylvisaker Cup Action at International Polo Club
WELLINGTON, FL (February 8, 2007) – Patron Dawn Jones scored 10 seconds into the sixth chukker and San Saba held Lechuza Caracas without a shot the rest of the game en route to a 9-8 victory in a 22-goal Ylvisaker Cup presented by Cartier match Thursday at International Polo Club Palm Beach. The victory clinched the Division III crown for San Saba.
In another game, 9-goaler Lucas Monteverde scored seven goals to lead the Broncos over Audi 14-12 and clinch the final spot in the quarterfinals. The Broncos’ win avenged a 17-10 loss to Audi earlier in the tournament. The loss eliminated Audi from playoff contention.
The Broncos led 12-10 heading into the final chukker as Audi cut the margin to one goal twice but could never tie the game.
Audi 9-goaler Gonzalito Pieres cut the margin to 12-11 less than a minute into the chukker and Audi patron Marc Ganzi missed a tough nearside that would have tied the game with 5:30 remaining.
Silvestre Donovan scored with 3:48 to put the Broncos ahead 13-11 before Pieres dribbled through several defenders to make it 13-12 with 2:51 left. Monteverde converted a 30-yard penalty shot with 1:02 left for the final margin.
Donovan finished with four goals and patron Lord Milford-Haven scored three goals for the Broncos (2-1), which was forced to miss the first 22-goal tournament because their horses were under mandatory quarantine during the equine virus incident. Juan Bollini added three goals for Audi (1-2) while Ganzi and Brandon Phillips scored one goal apiece.
Nine-goalers Javier Novillo Astrada and Paco de Narvaez led San Saba (2-0) with three goals each while Jones finished with two goals and Luis Echezarreta scored one goal. Jones also made several key defensive stops in the final chukker. Jones has played the entire tournament filling in for her husband, Tommy Lee Jones, who is on location. He is expected to return to action later this month.
Pite Merlos tied the game at 8-8 on a 60-yard penalty shot with 27 seconds left in the fifth chukker. Merlos led Lechuza Caracas (1-1) with six goals while Piki Alberdi added two goals. Patron Victor Vargas and Jorge Rodriguez did not score.
The tournament continues Saturday at 11 a.m. when defending champion New Bridge La Dolfina (2-0) plays Black Watch (1-1) in the first quarterfinal. There are three quarterfinals scheduled for Sunday: Privilege/Gracida International against Broncos at 10 a.m. followed by Laurence-Wallace against San Saba at noon and ending with BTA against Lechuza Caracas at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field.
The final of the Ylvisaker Cup presented by Cartier is scheduled for Sunday, February 18 at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field.
The Ylvisaker Cup in named in honor of William T. “Bill” Ylvisaker, a polo pioneer who founded Palm Beach Polo and Country Club in the late 1970s, bringing the sport to the forefront in Palm Beach County. A former Chairman of the USPA, Ylvisaker was elected into the Polo Hall of Fame in 1996. Ylvisaker has won numerous major polo tournaments, including the prestigious U.S. Open in 1972.
The polo matches are open to the public. General admission for the Sunday games at International Polo Club Palm Beach is $10 for adults. Children under 12 enter for free. Tickets may be purchased at the gate on the day of the game or in advance at the stadium box office.
International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South, between Pierson Road and Lake Worth Road in Wellington. For information, directions or ticket purchases, please call the club at (561) 204-5687 or visit the website at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
Past champions
2006 – New Bridge La Dolfina defeated Skeeterville 15-14
2005 – Pony Express defeated Airstream 11-6
2004 – Crab Orchard defeated Black Watch 13-8
2003 – C Spear defeated Outback 11-9
Standings
Division I
Team W-L GF GA
BTA 2-0 25 16
Laurence-Wallace 1-1 19 25
Bendabout 0-2 20 23
Division II
Team W-L GF GA
Privilege/Gracida International 2-0 27 20
Black Watch 1-1 25 26
Skeeterville 0-2 22 28
Division III
Team W-L GF GA
San Saba 2-0 21 19
Lechuza Caracas 1-1 23 23
Patagones 0-2 25 26
Division IV
Team W-L GF GA
New Bridge La Dolfina 2-0 25 20
Broncos 2-1 34 38
Audi 1-2 41 37
Pony Express 0-2 17 22
Thursday’s results
San Saba 9, Lechuza Caracas 8
Broncos 14, Audi 12
Wednesday’s results
BTA 14, Laurence-Wallace 7
Privilege/Gracida International 13, Black Watch 11
Scoring Leaders
Player/Team Games Goals
Gonzalito Pieres, Audi 3 21
Facundo Pieres, Black Watch 2 17
Pite Merlos, Lechuza Caracas 2 15
Lucas Monteverde, Broncos 3 15
Paco de Narvaez, San Saba 2 13
Jeff Hall, BTA 2 13
Kris Kampsen, Privilege/Gracida Int’l 2 13
Julio Arellano, Skeeterville 2 12
Adolfo Cambiaso, New Bridge La Dolfina 2 12
Guille Aguero, Patagones 2 11
Miguel Novillo Astrada, Bendabout 2 11
Carlos Gracida, Privilege/Gracida Int’l 2 11
Silvestre Donovan, Broncos 3 10
Tomas Goti, Pony Express 2 10