FMB’s Lucas Criado scored four goals for the 13-11 win over Maserati Sunday (Photo by David Lominska)
Maserati (Steve Krueger, Jesse Bray, Mike Azzaro and Justin Klentner) received four goals by handicap from the 20-goal Farmers and Merchants Bank (FMB) polo team (Dan Walker, Felipe Vercellino, Lucas Criado and Memo Gracida), but couldn’t slow down the balanced attack as they fell behind 9-5 at the end of the first half and couldn’t make up the ground over the final three chukkers in a 13-11 loss in the final of the 2015 USPA Maserati Silver Cup at the Santa Barbara Polo Club Sunday afternoon.
FMB team captain Dan Walker scored the first goal of the game, 4-1 (Maserati was awarded four goals by handicap), but took out both goalposts in doing it. Following a brief injury time out, Walker remounted and joined his team on the field as play resumed. Lucas Criado scored the only other goal in the opening chukker as FMB cut the Maserati lead back to just two goals, 4-2.
Former 10-goaler Memo Gracida opened the second period with a goal from the field, 4-3, followed by a tying goal from Criado, 4-4. Felipe Vercellino gave FMB the lead, 5-4, with his first goal of the day and a second goal from Gracida had FMB riding off the field with a 6-4 advantage.
Jesse Bray scored Maserati’s first goal on the field with a 60-yard penalty conversion, 6-5. Vercellino’s second goal of the afternoon was followed by back-to-back penalty goals from Walker as FMB outscored Maserati 9-1 from the field and ended the first half on top of a 9-5 score.
A refocused Maserati took the field in the fourth chukker with Steve Krueger putting the first goal of the second half on the scoreboard, cutting the FMB lead back to three goals, 9-6. In a defensive-oriented period, Vercellino countered with his third goal of the game. With two chukkers remaining in regulation play, FMB held on to a comfortable 10-6 lead.
Gracida made it 11-6 with the opening goal of the fifth period. Maserati answered back with goals from Mike Azzaro and Krueger, 11-8. Vercellino scored FMB’s twelfth goal of the afternoon, 12-8, but it was Jesse Bray who supplied the final goal of the chukker on a 60-yard penalty conversion. Maserati continued to trail, but they were chipping away at the FMB lead.
Bray opened the sixth chukker with a goal from the field and teammate Azzaro added a 60-yard penalty goal of his own. Maserati had cut the FMB lead to a single goal, 12-11, and seemed to have the momentum in their favor. The FMB defense held firm for the balance of the match and Walker added an insurance goal as time ran down. The final horn sounded with FMB celebrating the 13-11 win.
Vercellino and Walker led the FMB attack with four goals apiece. Vercellino was named MVP while Walker earned Amateur MVP honors. Walker’s Santiago was named Best Playing Pony. Vercellino also received the Robert Skene Award for MVP of the season.