Melissa Ganzi with the ball; son Grant Ganzi in pursuit.-Photo by Alex Pacheco.
Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Wes Finlayson and Nic Roldan) took advantage of one goal by handicap as they rolled past Flight Options (Melissa Ganzi, Marc Ganzi, Kris Kampsen and Juan Bollini) 12-10 in the opening round of play in the 2014 US Trust Cup at Wellington’s Grand Champions Polo Club Thursday morning.
Wes Finlayson’s first goal of the day gave Casablanca an early 2-0 lead. Melissa Ganzi responded with a goal for Flight Options, 2-1. Consecutive goals from Finlayson and Juancito Bollini had Casablanca up by three goals, 4-1. A 40-yard penalty conversion by Marc Ganzi closed out the first chukker with Casablanca in the lead, 4-2
Eight-goaler Nic Roldan scored the opening goal of the second period, 5-2, when Flight Options fired back. Goals from Melissa Ganzi and Kris Kampsen cut into the Casablanca lead. After two chukkers Flight Options trailed by a single goal, 5-4.
Finlayson and Melissa Ganzi traded goals in the third as Casablanca maintained their fragile one goal lead, 6-5. Roldan closed out the chukker with his second goal of the game for a7-5 halftime lead.
Both defenses tightened up in the second half with each team limited to a single goal. Roldan put Casablanca on the scoreboard first for the three goal, 8-5 advantage. Marc Ganzi responded with a goal for Flight Options. Casablanca retained their two goal lead, 8-6.
Marc Ganzi opened the fifth chukker with a goal from the field, 8-7. Roldan answered back with a 60-yard penalty conversion, 9-7. Melisa Ganzi scored her fourth goal of the game to cut the lead back down to one goal, 9-8, and Marc Ganzi tied it on an aggressive individual effort. With one chukker left in regulation time, the score was all even at 9-9.
Casablanca regrouped and returned to the field a new team. Consecutive goals from Roldan, Finlayson and Juancito Bollini had them leading by three goals, 12-9. Flight Options struggled to get back into the game but a resolute defense turned aside attack after attack. Kampsen finally broke through for a score but there was little time left on the clock. The final horn sounded giving the game to Casablanca, 12-10.
Roldan scored five goals for Casablanca. Finlayson added four goals and Juancito Bollini scored twice and the team received one goal by handicap in the win. Marc and Melissa Ganzi scored four goals apiece for Flight Options. Kampsen as credited with two goals in the loss.
Casablanca will play the winner of Friday‘s 3PM game between Postage Stamp Farm (Alejandro Gonzalez, Annabelle Garret and Guille Aguero) and Newport (Gene Goldstein, Leo Mandelbaum, Roberto Gonzalez and Leo Mandelbaum) in Sunday’s 3PM final.. Flight Options will play the loser in a Sunday 4:30PM consolation match.
The Grand Champions Polo club is located on the corner of Lake Worth Avenue and South Shore Boulevard in Wellington, Florida, and everyone is welcome to watch the games in a relaxed atmosphere during the fall tournament season.