L to R-Palm House 6-goaler Guille Aguero and Casablanca’s Grant Ganzi.
(Photo by Alex Pacheco)
ELG’s (Avery Chapman, Marc Ganzi, Nic Roldan and Carlitos Gracida) opening 6-2 win over Beluga (Misha Rodzianko, Mariano Gracida, Joey Casey and Carlos Diaz) in the opening three chukker’s of Friday’s US Trust Cup round-robin on the grounds set the pace for the weekend competition.
Three goals from Nic Roldan and single goals from Avery Chapman, Marc Ganzi and Carlitos Gracida were offset by a single goal by Misha Rodzianko. Beluga also received one goal by handicap.
AUDI 8, BELUGA 1
Beluga held the field in the second three chukkers against a powerful Audi (Melissa Ganzi, Leo Mandelbaum, Brandon Phillips and Juan Bollini) lineup, and fared no better.
Audi team captain Melissa Ganzi scored two of her game-leading four goals in the opening minute of play. Her third goal of the opening chukker had Audi firmly ahead, 3-1 (Beluga again received one goal by handicap from the 13-goal Audi foursome.
Audi teammates Leo Mandelbaum and Brandon Phillips added two goals apiece to close out the match in a resounding 8-1 romp.
ELG 5, AUDI 4
ELG scored all five of their goals in the first period in the final three chukkers of the morning round-robin to defeat Audi 5-4 and earn a berth in Sunday’s 10am finals.
A pair of impressive cut shots for goals by Marc Ganzi and single goals from Chapman, Roldan and Carlitos Gracida were all that were needed as Audi held on to thwart a last rally by Audi that brought them to within a goal of the lead. Mandelbaum and Phillips each scored twice for Audi who came up short in the one goal loss.
SECOND ROUND-ROBIN
Afternoon round-robin play saw Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, Juancito Bollini, Mike Azzaro and Wes Finlayson) outscoring their opponents 15-7 to earn the second tournament finalist spot.
Casablanca opened the afternoon with a powerful 6-2 win over Palm House (Glen Straub, Chris Kampsen, Guille Aguero and Charlie Armstrong) Juancito Bollini, Mike Azzaro and Wes Finlayson scoring two goals each for the victory.
Palm House registered single goals from Glen Straub and Kris Kampsen in a losing effort.
NEWPORT 6, PALM HOUSE 5
Palm House held the field for the second three chukkers of the round-robin, but fell short in their last chukker rally, falling to Newport (Gene Goldstein, Michel Dorignac, Luis Escobar and Kaisser Maakar), 6-5.
Newport took the early 2-1 (Palm House received one goal by handicap from Newport) lead on goals from Luis Escobar and Michel Dorignac (60-yard penalty conversion).
Second chukker goals from Gene Goldstein and Escobar stretched the lead to two goals, 4-2 on single goals from. Kris Kampsen was credited with Palm House’s only goal of the period.
Goals from Straub and Kampsen tied the game at 4-4 in the third, but Newport was ready. Goldstein scored from the field and Dorignac converted another 60-yard penalty shot to move Newport back in front, 6-4. A final goal from Kampsen ended the mini-match in a 6-5 Newport victory.
CASABLANCA 9, NEWPORT 5
The final contest of the day had Casablanca flexing their offensive muscles once again as they charged out to a 4-1 lead. Casablanca received one goal by handicap from the 14-goal Newport lineup and quickly added three more goals to it. A lead-off goal from Mike Azzaro and two more from seventeen-year-old Wes Finlayson had Newport reeling as they reflected on their single penalty goal from Michel Dorignac.
Grant Ganzi converted a penalty short for a goal and the team was awarded a goal o n a foul in the mouth of the Newport goal. Newport counted on two more goals from Dorignac but trailed 6-3 after the first two chukkers.
Two more goals from Azzaro and a single goal from Juancito Bollini had Casablanca on the winning end of a 9-5 score at the end of the match. Newport picked up goals from Dorignac (penalty goal), Luis Escobar and Kaisser Maakar in the last chukker.
The victory boosts Casablanca into Sunday’s 10am finals at the Grand Champions Polo Club as they face ELG for the trophy.