Brandon Phillips scored six goals in the win.
Aliano Realty (Nick Aliano, Brandon Phillips and Tommy Biddle) scored the first five goals of the opening game in the 2013 United States Arena Open Championship Monday night at the Country Farms Polo Club in Medford, New York as the rolled over The Tackeria (Matt Coppola, Horton Schwartz and Mauricio Devrient).
Biddle, the only 10-goaler in arena polo and only the fourth in the history of the game scored four of the first five goals with teammate Brandon Phillips scoring a single goal before The Tackeria could manage a goal. Horton Schwartz kept The Tackeria from being shut out, but the first chukker was all Aliano Realty.
Things didn’t get much better for The Tackeria in the second chukker. Biddle opened the scoring with a penalty conversion followed by a goal from the field, 7-1. Schwartz responded with a goal for The Tackeria, 7-2. Phillips and Coppola exchanged goals, 8-3, with Biddle converting a penalty shot for a score and a six goal halftime lead, 9-3.
“Brandon (Phillips) and I played well together,” said Biddle. “He was a very effective player and made my job much easier. He rode off opposing players and made a number of assists while Nick (Aliano) continued to impress me with his play,” said Biddle. “You can’t have a star running back if you don’t have an All-Pro blocking back in front of him,” he smiled.
Aliano Realty added six more goals to their total in the third, with Biddle and Phillips scoring three goals apiece. The Tackeria’s Mauricio Devrient got on track in the third chukker scoring four times (two on penalty shots). The Aliano Realty lead was stretched to eight goals, 15-7, with one chukker left to play.
Schwartz added two more goals for The Tackeria and Coppola scored his second goal of the game. Phillips and Biddle each added a goal in the final chukker for the 17-10 victory.
Biddle led the field with 11 goals. Phillips accounted for the remaining six goals. Devrient and Schwartz scored four goals apiece. Coppola added two goals in a losing effort.
“They (The Tackeria) were a tough team,” offered Biddle. “They played hard and kept us on guard throughout the game.”
US Arena Open play continues on Tuesday night at 7PM when the Intercollegiate team (Patrick Uretz, Tony Uretz and Wiley Uretz, with alternate Nik Feldman), sponsored by the USPA faces the Cedar Croft Farms team (Robert Ceparano, Felipe Viana and Kris Kampsen), sponsored by Zoetis.
The winner of Tuesday night’s match will meet Aliano Realty in the finals on Friday July 19th at 7Pm with the runners up playing for the National Handicap Championship in a 5PM contest. the Intercollegiate Polo Team which is sponsored by The USPA will field the three Uretz brothers, Patrick (5) Tony (3) and Wiley (4) with Nick Feldman (4) as the Alternate. They will face Cedar Croft Farms team sponsored by Zoetis with Robert Ceparano (2), Felipe Viano (6) and Kris Kampson (7)the Intercollegiate Polo Team which is sponsored by The USPA will field the three Uretz brothers, Patrick (5) Tony (3) and Wiley (4) with Nick Feldman (4) as the Alternate. They will face Cedar Croft Farms team sponsored by Zoetis with Robert Ceparano (2), Felipe Viano (6) and Kris Kampson (7)the Intercollegiate Polo Team which is sponsored by The USPA will field the three Uretz brothers, Patrick (5) Tony (3) and Wiley (4) with Nick Feldman (4) as the Alternate. They will face Cedar Croft Farms team sponsored by Zoetis with Robert Ceparano (2), Felipe Viano (6) and Kris Kampson (7)
