Leo Mandelbaum on the ball for Altair, Odosan’s Joe Chai in pursuit. (Photo by Alex Pacheco)
Odosan (Misty Allen, Joe Chai, Nick Manifold and Juaquin Panelo) broke open a nip and tuck game with Altair (Ashley Van Metre, Gene Goldstein, Leo Mandelbaum and Brandon Phillips) Wednesday afternoon at the Grand Champions Polo Club with six second half goals for an 11-7 win in Aspen Valley Cup 8-goal competition.
Juaquin Panelo scored the first goal of the game from the field but Altair answered right back. Consecutive goals from Brandon Phillips (one on a penalty conversion) closed out the period and had Altair in the lead, 2-1.
Second chukker action saw the two teams trade goals with Joe Chai and Panelo scoring goals from the field while Altair countered with penalty goals from Phillips and Leo Mandelbaum. Altair remained in the lead, 4-3.
Odosan stepped up its defensive efforts in the third. Nick Manifold scored his first goal of the day to tie it at 4-4. Panelo converted a 60-yard penalty shot (Safety) to give Odosan the halftime lead, 5-4.
Gene Goldstein tied the game at 5-5 with a goal from the field, but the lead was short-lived. Chai’s second goal of the match had Odosan leaving the field at the end of the fourth period maintaining a delicate one goal lead, 6-5.
The Odosan attack came alive in the fifth. Panelo added a 40-yard penalty goal while teammates Manifold and Chai scored from the field. The Odosan defense held and Altair found themselves trailing by four goals, 9-5, with one chukker remaining to be played.
Altair scored twice in the final chukker on goals from Ashley Van Metre and Phillips. Odosan responded with goals from Misty Allen and Panelo and held on to win the opening match of the Aspen Valley Cup by four goals, 11-7.
Panelo set the pace for the day with five goals (three on penalty conversions). Chai added three goals; Manifold contributed two goals and Allen scored once for the win. Phillips scored four times for Altair. Mandelbaum, Goldstein and Van Metre each scored once in the loss.
The Grand Champions Polo Club is located at 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 33414. The matches are free of charge and the public is invited to attend. The Grand Champions Polo Hotline is 561-373-0073.