Goose Creek 7-goaler Mariano Gonzalez scored four of his game-high seven goals on penalty shots as Goose Creek earned their third win in four tries in a 16-13 win over Postage Stamp Farm Thursday afternoon in the 2016 USPA Monty Waterbury Cup at the Greenwich Polo Club.
Goose Creek entry (Maureen Brennan, Tomas Garcia Del Rio, Mariano Gonzalez and Marcos Garcia Del Rio) spotted the 17-goal Postage Stamp Farm team (Annabelle Gundlach, Brandon Phillips, Juan Martin Zubia and Joao Paolo Ganon) three goals by handicap as competition continued Thursday afternoon in the 2016 USPA Monty Waterbury Cup at the Greenwich Polo Club, but had a three goal lead at the end of the first half on their way to a 16-13 victory.
Postage Stamp Farm took the field with a 3-0 lead but Goose Creek powered themselves right back into the game with three first chukker goals. Marcos Garcia Del Rio scored the first goal from the field, 3-1, followed by a goal from Postage Stamp Farm’s Brandon Phillips, 4-1. Goals from Marcos Garcia Del Rio and Mariano Gonzalez closed out the chukker with Postage Stamp Farm clinging on to a 4-3 advantage.
Gonzalez tied the game at 4-4 with his second goal of the day but Postage Stamp Farm responded with consecutive goals from Phillips and team captain Annabelle Gundlach to make it 6-4. Gonzalez converted a penalty shot and Marcos Garcia Del Rio added a goal from the field that leveled the score at 6-6.
Marcos Garcia Del Rio gave Goose Creek the lead with the opening goal of the third chukker, 7-6. Juan Martin Zubia (filling in for an injured Nick Manifold) countered with a goal for Postage Stamp Farm, 7-7, but the balance of the period belonged to Goose Creek. Goals from Gonzalez, Tomas Garcia Del Rio and team captain Maureen Brennan ended the chukker with Goose Creek on top of a 10-7 score.
A recharged Postage Stamp Farm team charged onto the field for the second half behind opening goals from Brazilian 7-goaler Joao Ganon and Phillips (a 40-yard penalty conversion) to come within a goal of the lead, 10-9. Marcos Garcia Del Rio scored the final goal of the period for an 11-9 edge.
Goose Creek was on fire in the opening minutes of the fifth period, riding the coattails of Gonzalez as he scored three straight goals (one on a penalty conversion) to give Goose Creek a 14-9, five goal lead. Phillips and Zubia each scored a goal to end the chukker but it was Goose Creek in front, 14-11 with one period left in regulation play.
Sixth chukker goals from brothers Tomas Garcia Del Rio and Marcos Garcia Del Rio stretched the Goose Creek lead back to five goals, 16-11 as Postage Stamp Farm struggled to keep pace. Goals from Zubia and Ganon ended the game with Goose Creek celebrating the 16-13 victory.
Gonzalez led all scoring with seven goals (four on penalty shots). Marcos Garcia Del Rio added six goals; Tomas Garcia Del Rio scored twice and Brennan was credited with a goal for the win. Phillips scored a team-high four goals for Postage Stamp Farm. Zubia added three goals with Ganon scoring twice and Gundlach getting credit for a goal on the day. Postage Stamp Farm also received three goals by handicap.
Monty Waterbury Cup play will continue on Friday with a 1:30pm game between Airstream (Peter Orthwein, Matias Magrini, Kris Kampsen and Guille Aguero) and Beluga (Chris Brant, Naco Taverna, Tommy Biddle and Salvador Ulloa).