By Alex Webbe
It was less than a warm welcome back to the International Polo Club’s Stanford Field for Pony Express 10-goaler Matias Magrini as he was unceremoniously knocked to the ground, horse and all before suffering a one-sided 13-7 loss to Camilo Bautista’s Las Monjitas team in the quarterfinals of the 2008 C. V. Whitney Cup.
Magrini’s last appearance on the Number 1 field at the club came in the finals of last year’s U. S. Open Championship, when his Crab Orchard team defeated Jedi for the title.
Sunday’s outcome wasn’t quite as hospitable.
Las Monjitas received one goal by handicap due to a change in its lineup (Sylvestre Donovan replaced an injured Nacho Astrada), and quickly added to it as it rode out to a 4-2 lead after the opening chukker of play.
Pony Express 8-goaler Nicolas Roldan converted a penalty goal to open the second chukker, but was countered by goals from brothers Eduardo and Javier Novillo Astrada for a 6-3 Las Monjitas lead.
Eduardo Astrada made it 7-4 in the opening minute of the third chukker when Magrini and his horse suffered a fall after a collision with a Las Monjitas player. After a brief delay, play continued with Pony Express converting a penalty shot on the foul. Javier Astrada scored the last goal of the period for an 8-4 halftime advantage.
Javier Astrada added two more goals to the Las Monjitas total in the fourth as Roldan managed to get Pony Express on the scoreboard with another penalty conversion.
Magrini opened the fifth period with a goal from the field as the Pony Express attack tried to turn it up a notch, but two more goals from Javier Astrada had Las Monjitas on top of a 12-6 score.
The teams traded single goals in the final chukker with Las Monjitas riding off with the 13-7 win, and securing a slot in Wednesday’s semifinals against Skeeterville at 3 pm.
Javier Novillo Astrada scored eight goals fro Las Monjitas with brother Eduardo Novillo Astrada adding four goals and the team receiving one goal by handicap.
Nicolas Roldan scored five goals for Pony Express. Matias Magrini added two goals.
In the a morning contest, Skeeterville relied on an overtime goal from Adam Snow to beat the previously undefeated Lechuza Caracas team 12 to 11 to move into Wednesday’s semifinals against Las Monjitas.
In a game that was virtually neck and neck until the end, it seemed to be a matter of whoever scored last would win. On Sunday morning, the final and winning goal belonged to Skeeterville’s Snow.
Julio Arellano led all scoring with five goals (four by penalty) for Skeeterville. Teammates Rinehart and Snow accounted for three goals apiece.
Lechuza was led by four goals from Sebastian Merlos. Teammates Pite Merlos and Tomas del Rio scored three goals each with team captain Victor Vargas adding a single goal in the loss.
Wednesday’s second semifinal will pit Audi against Isla Carroll at noon.