By Alex Webbe
All in the family once again. Wins by Valiente I and Valiente II in the semifinals of the season’s first 26-goal tournament, the Royal Salute C. V. Whitney Cup at the International Polo club in Wellington will be sending two related teams to the field for the second consecutive Sunday. Last week Melissa Ganzi’s Piaget polo team successfully defeated husband Marc Ganzi’s Audi team in the final of the Ylvisaker Cup. This Sunday Bob Jornayvaz and his Valiente I team will face-off against son Robert’s Valiente II team in the first leg of polo’s Triple Crown-the Royal Salute C. V. Whitney Cup.
In the opening semifinal of the day, Robert Jornayvaz and his Valiente II team handily defeated a challenging Zacara foursome 11-5 after getting caught up in a low-scoring opening half of play.
Pelon Stirling, scored the first goal of the day for Valiente II, but 10-goaler Facundo Pieres responded with a goal for Zacara. Alejo Taranco gave Valiente II a 2-1 advantage on a goal from the field, but Zacara wasn’t through. A goal from Pieres tied it up at 2-2 and closed out the scoring in the opening chukker of play.
Defense was the word of the day as Zacara and Valiente II battled through a scoreless second period of play. Shots on goal went wide, saving backhanders were made, and at the end of two chukkers of action the score was deadlocked at 2-2.
A concerted Valiente II effort garnered them two goals in the third while a resolute defense held them scoreless for the second consecutive chukker. A goal from Adolfo Cambiaso was followed by a scoring effort made by Stirling. At the end of the first half Valiente II rode off the field with a 4-2 advantage.
A penalty conversion from Pieres opened the second half, but Valiente II continued to pressure the Zacara attack. Cambiaso added two goals with Cambiaso accounting for both of them (one from the field and one on a 40-yard penalty shot). With two chukkers left in regulation time, Valiente II led 6-3.
Zacara continued to try and control the pace of the game, but were unable to keep Valiente II off of the scoreboard. Two more goals from Cambiaso were answered by single goals from Pieres and Magoo Laprida. The Valiente II lead held at three goals, 8-5.
Zacara rode onto the field in the sixth chukker determined to get back into the game, but Valiente II was determined as well. Cambiaso scored once from the field in the sixth and converted two 60-yard penalty shots, and the defense held. A deflated Zacara offense fell flat as Valiente II rode on to capture the match 11-5 and boost the team into the 4 pm Sunday Royal Salute C. V. Whitney Cup finals.
Cambiaso scored eight times for Valiente II. Stirling added two goals and Taranco scored once in the win.
VALIENTE I 12, ERG 11
In the second semifinal of the day, Valiente I fought ERG to a 6-6 halftime tie before going on to capture a berth in the Sunday finals of the Royal Salute C. V. Whitney Cup by beating them in a highly competitive contest, 12-11.
Valiente I jumped out to an early 3-0 start, getting a pair of penalty goals from Miguel Astrada and a goal from the field from his brother, Nacho Astrada. Valiente I held the line on defense and kept ERG from scoring.
Four straight goals had ERG on top of a 4-3 lead in the second period with Agustin Merlos scoring once from the field and once on a penalty conversion. Single goals from Paco de Narvaez and Sebastian Merlos had ERG ahead for the first time all day at 4-3. Valiente I’s Polito Pieres tied it up at 4-4 to end the chukker.
Miguel Astrada scored a goal from the field and added another penalty goal for Valiente I while ERG relied on a penalty goal from Agustin Merlos and a goal from de Narvaez to keep it all even at 6-6 to end the first half.
Valiente I moved out to a delicate one-goal lead in the fourth, getting three penalty goals from Miguel Astrada. ERG answered with goals from Agustin Merlos and Sebastian Merlos, but at the end of four chukkers of play, Valiente I was ahead, 9-8.
Miguel Astrada extended the Valiente I lead to two goals, 10-8 in the fifth, but ERG responded in kind with a goal from the field from Sebastian Merlos. A penalty goal from Agustin Merlos tied it up again at 10-10, and the chukker ended.
Valiente I took early control of the final chukker of play, scoring goals from the field from Miguel Astrada and Nacho Astrada, 12-10. Agustin Merlos converted a 40-yard penalty shot to make it 12-11, but that was as close as they would get. Time ran out and Valiente I celebrated the 12-11 win and a trip into Sunday’s finals of the Royal Salute C. V. Whitney Cup against their sister team, Valiente II.
Miguel Astrada led all scoring with nine goals. Nacho Astrada scored twice and Polito Pieres added a goal in the win.
Agustin Merlos scored six goals for ERG. Sebastian Merlos accounted for three goals and de Narvaez scored twice.