BLOOMFIELD SURVIVES LATE SCARE IN SPA CUP MATCH
Coming off of a win in the first match of The Spa Cup at Saratoga Polo, Tackeria could not exploit that momentum as Bloomfield took an early big lead to the end of the Spa Cup match at Saratoga Polo on Sunday. While Bloomfield ended up on top, their lead was whittled down to a single goal at the end of regulation, the score 11-10.
Bloomfield started off strong, with the husband and wife team of Will and Tab Orthwein combining for the first 3 scores of the game.
Besides a goal on penalty by Matt Coppola, Tackeria was held scoreless over the first two chukkers. Meanwhile, in addition to the Orthweins’ tallies, Omar Sosa came alive in the second chukker, positively dominating play and putting up 3 balls between the goal posts for points.
While Bloomfield led by as many as 5 during play, Tackeria clawed their way back starting in the third and fourth chukkers with Todd Offen and Marcello Catsro scoring 2 apiece and Coppola and Dave Peters scoring 1 apiece.
While the margin was down to 2 by the end of the fourth, Bloomfield responded with tighter defense in the fifth and penultimate chukker. In the fifth, no one on Tackeria could put the ball between the posts for the full seven minutes. In contrast, Omar Sosa the last 2 of his game-high 6 points on the day.
It was Tackeria’s turn to respond in the sixth and final chukker. Holding Bloomfield scoreless for the final seven minutes of regulation, Offen converted on a penalty while Coppola had back to back goals in the closing minutes, the second coming off of a thrilling steal near the goal mouth.
In the final 30 seconds, Tackeria put a stop to a Bloomfield drive in front of goal and turn the ball around, but Sosa was able to stop Offen at midfield long enough to clear the ball out of scoring range in the closing seconds to insure the win.
The Saratoga Saddlery Best Playing Pony Award was presented to Esperanza, Sosa’s mount in the second chukker.
Bloomfield tries to make it 2 in a row in The Spa Cup at Saratoga Polo on Wednesday, July 18th at 5:30pm as they face off against Pony Up. For more information about Saratoga Polo, call 518-584-8108 or visit saratogapolo.com.
TOTAL GOALS SCORED
TACKERIA – 10
Matt Coppola – 4
Marcello Castro – 2
Todd Offen – 3
Dave Peters – 1
BLOOMFIELD – 11
Tab Orthwein – 1
Will Orthwein – 4
Omar Sosa – 6
Rick Baum – 0