New Bridge La Dolfina Notches 17th Consecutive Victory
With 13-12 Win Over Audi In Ylvisaker Cup Action at International Polo Club
WELLINGTON, FL (February 4, 2007) – New Bridge La Dolfina continued its winning ways, capturing its 17th consecutive victory by holding off a fast-charging Audi 13-12 in the 22-goal Ylvisaker Cup presented by Cartier Sunday at International Polo Club Palm Beach.
In other games, Pite Merlos scored nine goals to spark Lechuza Caracas over Patagones 15-14 and the Broncos rallied past Pony Express 10-9 on Lucas Monteverde’s 30-yard penalty shot with 1:43 remaining.
The win clinched the Division IV title and a spot in the quarterfinals for New Bridge La Dolfina. The winning streak, over the last two seasons at International Polo Club, doesn’t put added pressure on the team, according to 9-goaler Matias Magrini.
“I love winning everything and I think Adolfo (Cambiaso) is worse than me,” said Magrini. “You get used to winning and you play with a different attitude. It’s important to keep on winning, because teams keep on respecting you.”
Three-goaler Martin Valent scored three goals in a 1:34 span early in the fourth chukker to give New Bridge La Dolfina a 9-4 advantage, one they kept until the sixth chukker.
Valent was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, largely based on his performance in the fourth, aboard a grey mare, Torda, owned by Magrini. He has played Torda in the fourth chukker in every game this season.
Cambiaso’s 40-yard penalty shot gave New Bridge La Dolfina a 13-8 lead with 5:54 remaining in the game. But Audi started chipping away, starting with a goal by patron Marc Ganzi 50 seconds later. Then Gonzalito Pieres took over, scoring three goals in a span of 2:01, the final goal on a 30-yard penalty shot with 24 seconds left. But time ran out before the ball was bowled in.
Cambiaso led New Bridge La Dolfina (2-0) with seven goals, six in the first half, while Magrini and Valent scored three goals apiece. Patron Russ McCall did not score.
“We have no magic strategy,” said Magrini. “We go 100 percent all of us, all the time. It seems that we play each team a bit differently.”
Pieres finished with a team-high eight goals while Brandon Phillips scored three goals. Juan Bollini, in his first game of the season since injuring a leg, did not score.
Monteverde finished with a team-high four goals for the Broncos (1-1) while Silvestre Donovan scored three goals, patron Lord Milford-Haven added two goals and Naco Taverna had one goal. The Broncos will play Audi on Thursday at 3 p.m. for the final spot in the quarterfinals.
Tomas Goti led Pony Express (0-2) with seven goals and Nicolas Roldan scored one goal while patron Bob Daniels and Gonzalo Von Wernich did not score. The loss eliminated Pony Express from playoff contention.
Lechuza Caracas (1-0) scored four consecutive goals, three by Merlos, to take a 13-11 lead late in the fifth chukker. Patagones rallied to tie the game at 14-14 before Piki Alberdi’s game-winner. Alberdi, patron Victor Vargas and Jorge Rodriguez scored two goals each for the winners.
Guille Aguero led Patagones (0-2) with seven goals, while Carlos Avendano added three goals, Juan Martin Obregon scored two goals and Michel Dorignac had one goal.
The tournament continues Wednesday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. when BTA (1-0) plays Laurence-Wallace (1-0) followed by Black Watch (1-0) against Privilege/Gracida International (1-0). The final of the Ylvisaker Cup presented by Cartier is scheduled for Sunday, February 18 at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field.
The Ylvisaker Cup in named in honor of William T. “Bill” Ylvisaker, a polo pioneer who founded Palm Beach Polo and Country Club in the late 1970s, bringing the sport to the forefront in Palm Beach County. A former Chairman of the USPA, Ylvisaker was elected into the Polo Hall of Fame in 1996. Ylvisaker has won numerous major polo tournaments, including the prestigious U.S. Open in 1972.
The polo matches are open to the public. General admission for the Sunday games at International Polo Club Palm Beach is $10 for adults. Children under 12 enter for free. Tickets may be purchased at the gate on the day of the game or in advance at the stadium box office.
International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South, between Pierson Road and Lake Worth Road in Wellington. For information, directions or ticket purchases, please call the club at (561) 204-5687 or visit the website at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
Past champions
2006 – New Bridge La Dolfina defeated Skeeterville 15-14
2005 – Pony Express defeated Airstream 11-6
2004 – Crab Orchard defeated Black Watch 13-8
2003 – C Spear defeated Outback 11-9
Standings
Division I
Team W-L GF GA
Laurence-Wallace 1-0 12 11
BTA 1-0 11 9
Bendabout 0-2 20 23
Division II
Team W-L GF GA
Privilege/Gracida International 1-0 14 9
Black Watch 1-0 14 13
Skeeterville 0-2 22 28
Division III
Team W-L GF GA
San Saba 1-0 12 11
Lechuza Caracas 1-0 15 14
Patagones 0-2 25 26
Division IV
Team W-L GF GA
New Bridge La Dolfina 2-0 25 20
Audi 1-1 29 23
Broncos 1-1 20 26
Pony Express 0-2 17 22
Sunday’s results
New Bridge La Dolfina 13, Audi 12
Broncos 10, Pony Express 9
Lechuza Caracas 15, Patagones 14
Saturday’s results
BTA 11, Bendabout 9
Black Watch 14, Skeeterville 13
Thursday’s results
Audi 17, Broncos 10
New Bridge La Dolfina 12, Pony Express 8
San Saba 12, Patagones 11
Wednesday’s results
Privilege/Gracida International 14, Skeeterville 9
Laurence-Wallace 12, Bendabout 11 (OT)