L to R-Royal Salute team and the Airstream team at trophy presentation festivities following Sunday’s Royal Salute Jubilee Cup match.
No Surprises as Facundo Pieres leads his Royal Salute team (Steve Lefkowitz, Facundo Pieres, Mariano Aguerre and Peter Brant) to a 9-8 victory over Airstream (Peter Orthwein, Naco Taverna, Matias Magrini and Nick Manifold) Sunday afternoon in the Royal Salute Jubilee Cup at the Greenwich Polo Club, but the one goal margin of victory might have raised some eyebrows after the performance Pieres just finished in Spain.
A beautiful sunny afternoon was the backdrop for the top-ranked polo player in the game, Argentine 10-goaler Facundo Pieres, as the Greenwich Polo Club hosted the Royal Jubilee Cup in front of an enthusiastic crowd of polo devotees at the Connecticut polo club.
Airstream was spotted one goal by handicap from the 21-goal Royal Salute lineup, and quickly added to it on a goal from the field from team captain Peter Orthwein, 2-0. Facundo Pieres promptly showed his prowess with a responding score, 2-1, and Peter Brant tied it up at 2-2 with a 30-yard penalty conversion.
Scoring in the second chukker was limited to a single goal from the field from Airstream’s Matias Magrini, but Pieres managed to entertain the spectators with a number of runs and an exhibition in ball control on the field. After two chukkers of play, Airstream held a 3-2 advantage over Royal Salute.
Pieres and company owned the third period. Five unanswered goals gave the Royal Salute team a commanding 7-3 lead over and Airstream team that was held to a mere two goals in the opening half of play. Steve Lefkowitz scored his first goal of the game while Pieres and Brant each contributed two goals apiece.
A defensive tone was set as the second half got underway. Errant shots, well-placed backhanders and disciplined positioning by both teams resulted in a scoreless fourth chukker. Royal Salute continued to hold a four goal edge, 7-3.
Lefkowitz scored the opening goal of the fifth chukker, stretching the Royal Salute lead to five goals, 8-5. Airstream answered back with a pair of goals from Nick Roldan and a 30-yard penalty conversion from Magrini. The royal Salute lead was cut to two goals, 8-6.
Magrini cut the Royal Salute lead to a single goal, 8-7, with his third goal on the day in sixth chukker action. Brant answered back with a goal from the field, 9-7. Magrini scored the final goal of the game for Airstream, but it was Royal Salute who celebrated the 9-8 win.
Brant led the royal Salute team with four goals (one on a penalty conversion). Pieres added three goals and Lefkowitz scored twice. Magrini scored four times for Airstream (once on a penalty shot). Manifold added two goals and Orthwein scored once. Airstream received one goal by handicap.
Facundo Pieres received MVP honors while Mariano Aguerre’s mare Jackie, played by Pieres, was named Best Playing Pony.