Patrick Uretz being pursues by Kris Kampsen (white)-Photo-Debra Napp
It was payback time for Felipe Viana of the Cedar Croft Farm team (Robert Ceparano, Felipe Viana and Kris Kampsen), sponsored by Zoetis, scoring seven goals and lifting the Cedar Croft team to a convincing 16-11 win over the Intercollegiate team (Patrick Uretz, Tony Uretz and Wiley Uretz) that was sponsored by the United States Polo Association at Country Farm Polo Club in Medford, New York.
Viana is a recent graduate of the University of Virginia, and it was the Westmont College (Santa Barbara, CA) polo team that included Patrick and Tony Uretz that upset Viana’s UVA team in this year’s semifinals, ending their chances of defending their 2012 Intercollegiate title. Westmont College, however, rode on to win the 2013 championship.
Country Farm Polo Club may be located in New York, but the opening chukker was reminiscent of a western shoot-out with each team putting five goals on the scoreboard for the early tie. Felipe Viana opened the scoring with goal from the field followed by a goal from Kris Kampsen, 2-0. Wiley Uretz scored for the Intercollegiates followed by a pair of penalty goals from Tony Uretz, 3-2. Wiley Uretz’s second goal of the chukker had Cedar Croft Farm trailing 5-2. Cedar Croft Farm closed out the chukker with three consecutive goals (two from Ceparano and a single goal from Viana) to deadlock it at 5-5.
Kampsen scored the first two goals of the second period (one on a penalty shot) followed by a penalty conversion by Viana to move ahead, 8-5. Two more goals from the field by Viana gave Cedar Croft Farm a five goal lead, 10-5. Patrick Uretz stopped the onslaught with a single goal, but Kampsen ended the chukker with two straight goals and a commanding 12-6 Cedar Croft Farm halftime advantage.
Rough riding and penalties set the stage in the third period. The Intercollegiates scored five unanswered goals in the opening minutes, four by Tony Uretz. Kampsen scored the final two goals of the chukker and took a three goal, 14-11 lead into the final period.
Rough riding continued into the fourth. Rough play sent Kampsen and one of the Uretz boys off the field for the final two minutes of the game, but goals from Ceparano and Viana went unanswered as Cedar Croft Farm took the game, 16-11.
“Welcome to professional polo,” said Kampsen, who watched the last couple minutes of the game from the sidelines as he and one of the Intercollegiates were sent off the field for the final two minutes of the game after several severe ride-offs. “We’re not playing with Barbie Dolls,” said Kampsen at the end of the game. “If they want to play with the big dogs they’re going to have to learn to run with the big dogs.”
Viana led the Cedar Croft Farm attack with seven goals. Kampsen scored six times and Ceparano added three goals for the win. Tony Uretz scored seven goals for the Intercollegiates. Patrick Uretz scored once and Wiley Uretz was credited with two goals. The team was the beneficiary of one pony goal in the loss.
The win sends Cedar Croft Farm to the Finals against Aliano Realty (Nick Aliano, Brandon Phillips and Tommy Biddle) at 7PM on Friday, July 19th. The Intercollegiates will meet The Tackeria (Matt Coppola, Horton Schwartz and Mauricio Devrient) in a 5PM game to determine the US Arena Handicap Championship.