Reshuffled lineups and a format change did little to take the wind out of the sales of the three teams who took the field in round-robin competition in the 2015 USPA Fall Classic at the Grand Champions Polo Club Saturday afternoon.
Dutta Corp. (Timmy Dutta, J.J Celis, Carlitos Gracida and Guille Aguero) and Audi (Wes Finlayson, Grant Ganzi, Marc Ganzi and Nic Roldan) took to the field for the first three chukker mini-match in the day’s round-robin and managed to sneak past a talented Audi foursome, 4-3.
Audi received one goal by handicap but watched Dutta Corp.’s Carlitos Gracida and Guille Aguero score the first two goals from the field for a 2-1 advantage. American 8-goaler Nic Roldan closed out the chukker to tie it at 2-2.
Aguero and Gracida added single goals in the second period for Dutta Corp. Audi picked up a goal from Finlayson but fell behind, 4-3.
Goals were hard to come by in the third chukker as both defenses stepped it up. A scoreless third period gave the game to Dutta Corp., 4-3.
Audi 4, Postage Stamp Farm 4
Audi remained on the field for the start of the next three-chukker mini-match facing Postage Stamp Farm. This time it was Postage Stamp Farm who received one goal by handicap. Nic Roldan and Julio Ezcurra each tallied a goal with Postage Stamp Farm taking the first lead of the game, 2-1.
Wes Finlayson tied it for Audi with a second chukker goal from the field, 2-2. Postage Stamp Farm fired right back. Ezcurra’s second goal of the match had Postage Stamp Farm leaving the field with a narrow 3-2 edge.
Brandon Phillips scored the only goal of the third period for Postage Stamp Farm, while goals from Marc Ganzi and Finlayson leveled the score at 4-4 at the end of regulation time.
Postage Stamp Farm 4½, Dutta Corp. 4
In the final three chukkers of the day, Postage Stamp Farm received 1.5 goals from the 14-goal Dutta Corp., but watched as goals from Guille Aguero and J.J. Celis eclipsed their lead, 2-1½. Brandon Phillips scored the final goal of the chukker to put Postage Stamp Farm on top, 2½ to 2.
Carlitos Gracida and Ezcurra exchanged goals as Postage Stamp Farm maintained their delicate lead, 3½ to 3.
The pace continued to pick up as both teams battled through the final chukker. Aguero Phillips traded goals midway through the chukker as both sides fought for the winning score. Aguero’s second goal of the match had Dutta Corp. on top, 4-3½ when Phillips scored his third goal of the mini-match for Postage Stamp Farm who held on for the 4½ to 4 win.
Tournament play continues on Monday, October 19th with Audi playing a modified US Trust team (Melissa Ganzi, Riley Ganzi, Jesse Bray and Luis Escobar) at 3:00pm.
The tournament final follows at 4pm and will be played between Dutta Corp. and Postage Stamp Farm.
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.