Paladin’s Leo Mandelbaum led all scoring with five goals.
Paladin (David Krantz, Leo Mandelbaum, Nic Roldan and Juan Bollini) ran up an 8-4 halftime lead over Beluga (Misha Rodzianko, Carlitos Gracida, Brandon Phillips and Joey Casey) before holding on for a 12-9 win in the opening round of play in the Grand Champions Polo Club’s 2013 Prisa Invitational.
Played on the grounds of the Palm City Polo Club in Boca Raton, Beluga received one goal by handicap from the 15-goal Paladin lineup and watched helplessly as Paladin scored three consecutive goals n them for a 3-1 lead. Leo Mandelbaum led the scoring parade followed by single goals from Nic Roldan and David Krantz. Carlitos Gracida stopped the slide with a chukker closing goal for Beluga. After the first chukker Paladin had the lead, 3-2.
Three more Paladin goals opened the second period with Krantz, Roldan and Mandelbaum each scoring their second goal of the match. Misha Rodzianko got Beluga on the scoreboard, but Paladin was ahead by three, 6-3.
Goals by Krantz and Mandelbaum extended the Paladin lead to five goals in the third, 8-3. Gracida ended the chukker with his second goal on the day. Paladin rode off the field at the end of the first half on the winning end of an 8-4 score.
Goals were scarce in the fourth as both teams doubled down on their defensive efforts. Rodzianko scored the only goal of the period, cutting the Paladin lead to three goals, 8-5.
Rodzianko scored two more goals in the fifth and teammate Joey Casey scored his first goal of the day to draw Beluga within a goal of the lead. Mandelbaum scored Paladin’s only goal of the chukker to maintain a narrow 9-8 edge.
Paladin took the field with a sense of authority in the sixth chukker. Once again Paladin racked up three consecutive goals from three different players. Mandelbaum opened the chukker with his fifth goal of the game. Roldan and Krantz followed up with goals and Paladin found themselves in possession of a four goal lead, 12-8. Brandon Phillips scored the final goal of the game in the closing seconds of play, but it was Paladin with the win, 12-9.
Mandelbaum led all scoring with five goals. Krantz added four goals and Roldan scored three times for the victory. Rodzianko’s four goals led the Beluga attack. Gracida scored twice with Phillips and Casey adding single goals in a losing effort.
The victory places Paladin in Sunday’s 10:30 AM tournament finals against Newport (Gene Goldstein, Guille Aguero, Luis Escobar and Marc Ganzi) on the grounds of the Palm City Polo Club in Boca Raton.