2011 United States Polo Association Fall Plate: 1st-day roundup
Piaget and Elangeni Ranch emerged victorious over Flat Out and Audi, respectively, in the first-day competitions of the 2011 USPA Fall Plate that took place at the Grand Champions Club in Wellington. The Piaget foursome marked a 13-12 victory over Flat Out
while Elangani Ranch edged out Audi by 8-6.
The first game was a battlefield where both the teams continued to hurl fires at each other throughout the six chukkers. Mark Ganzi marked a hat-trick of goals right at the beginning. Two of those came from the field while one on a penalty conversion.
However, the resilient contenders did not sit back and let the game slip away. Kris Kampsen goaled a couple while his teammate Paul Knapp took advantage of a penalty shot to level the score at three-all.
Gene Goldstein and Jota Chavanne scored one goal apiece to put Flat Out ahead during the second chukker. Then again, Piaget’s Nic Roldan and Ganzi lashed out a duo to tie the knot at five-all at the end of the second frame.
Kampsen (Flat Out) scored another goal in the opening minutes of the third round that Ganzi responded to by a field goal. Continuing the tussle, Sergio Sylvestre and Chavanne struck a goal each to close the first half at 7-7.
Ganzi launched into the second half with a field goal. From the other side, Kampsen flexed his muscles and scored a couple of back to back goals. The Flat Out established their first lead during the fourth chukker at 9-8.
In the second last chukker, Roldan whacked a penalty shot to achieve a short-lived equalization. Knapp accounted for his second goal of the day to put Flat Out at the forefront. Sylvestre (Piaget) was not ready to allow the opponents to take the lead. He
notched a goal and, yet again, tied the knots at ten-all before going into the last set of play.
Ganzi opened the last chukker but Knapp responded with a blow, the very next minute. Later, Roldan and Knapp balanced the score at 12-12. Ganzi finally broke the stalemate, scored a go-ahead goal for Piaget, and sealed the victory at 13-12.
Earlier during the event, Elangani Ranch marked a commendable 8-6 victory over Audi. J. J. Celis was the highest scorer from Elangani Ranch with three goals. His teammates, Luis Escobar and Diego Cossio, added two goals to the score. Brian Street – the skipper
of the team contributed one goal in the victory.
From Audi’s side, Jason Crowder lit the lamp four times while Juan Bollini and Joey Casey accounted for one goal each.
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