By Alex Webbe
Piaget team captain Melissa Ganzi exploded for four goals in leading her team to a 12-11 win over TechnoPolo in the finals of the 2010 Fall Classic Sunday afternoon at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida.
Two goals from Juan Bollini and Melissa Ganzi’s first goal of the game had Piaget out in front, 3-1, with Franck Duberry accounting for the only goal for TechnoPolo.
Former 9-goaler Juan Badiola opened the second chukker with a goal from TechnoPolo, with Bollini answering with his third goal of the game. A penalty conversion from Esteban Scott cut the Piaget lead to a single goal, 4-3, to end the second period.
Ganzi opened the third period with a goal from the field, followed by a penalty conversion by Matias Sosa, and Piaget was up, 6-3, when the TechnoPolo attack came alive.
Three consecutive goals from Scott, Duberry and Badiola tied it at 6-6 to end the first half.
“It was a tough match,” said Ganzi, “they’re a good team, and gave us a hard time.”
Galindo scored his first goal of the game to open the fourth, but two goals from Scott gave Pony Express its first lead of the game, 8-7.
“We knew we had to get it together for the fifth chukker,” said Galindo, “and the team was up to the challenge.”
Piaget scored five goals with two apiece from Ganzi and Galindo and a fifth from Sosa. Scott scored the only goal of the chukker for TechnoPolo, and the chukker ended with Piaget holding a three goal lead, 12-9.
TechnoPolo pressed the attack for the final chukker of play, with Badiola scoring on two well-placed shots from the field, but the effort fell short. Time ran out on the TechnoPolo rally, and Piaget celebrated the 12-11 championship win.
Ganzi led the Piaget attack with four goals. Teammates Galindo and Bollini scored three goals apiece and Sosa added two goals in the win.
Scott set the pace for TechnoPolo with five goals. Badiola scored four times and Duberry added two goals.
BARBAROSSA LEATHER 9, AUDI 7
In the morning’s consolation match, Barbarossa Leather built up a 5-2 halftime lead before gliding to a 9-7 win over Audi.
Marc Ganzi opened the scoring for Audi with a penalty shot before Leo Mandelbaum and J. J. Celis responded with single goals for Barbarossa Leather. Carlucho Arellano tied the game at 2-2 for Audi as the first chukker ended.
Defenses tightened in the second chukker, with Mandelbaum scoring the only chukker of the period as he followed up a breakaway by teammate Omar Sosa. Mandelbaum tapped it through the goal posts, and Barbarossa Leather took an early 3-2 lead.
Celis added two more goals in the third while teammates held Audi scoreless, and the first half ended with Barbarossa Leather ahead, 5-2.
Another penalty goal from Ganzi and a goal from the field from Joey Casey brought Audi to within a goal of the lead, 5-4, but Barbarossa Leather wasn’t through.
Slashing attacks netted Barbarossa Leather two goals from Celis, and the chukker ended with Audi looking at a 7-4 deficit.
Sosa and Celis added single goals in the fifth, but Ganzi and Casey responded. The score stood at 9-6 in favor of Barbarossa Leather after five chukkers of play.
Ganzi’s fourth goal of the game was the only scoring of the final chukker as Barbarossa Leather rode off with a 9-7 win.
Celis led all scoring with six goals. Mandelbaum added a pair of goals, and Sosa scored once in the win.
Ganzi led the Audi attack with four goals. Casey added two goals and Arellano accounted for a single goal in the loss.