Las Monjitas versus Crab Orchard: US Open Polo Championship Recap and Player Ratings - Part 1
In an unanticipated clash, the team of Las Monjitas powered a 9-8 victory over the talented and most in-form team, Crab Orchard, in the quarter-final match of the 2011 United States Open Polo Championship. The most astonishing and unpredicted match was contested
at the International Polo Club in Wellington, Florida.
More than two thousand polo lovers and polo pundits witnessed the significant game of the tournament, where Las Monjitas outplayed Crab Orchard and moved into the semi-finals of the 26-goal handicap tournament. The game was quite low scoring, as both the
sides showed stiff defence on the field.
The two teams commenced the game in quite an aggressive way, but gradually became cool down. Crab Orchard played a very timid game, while Las Monjitas were very valiant. Agustin Merlos opened the scoring in the very first minutes through a penalty conversion
and put Las Monjitas ahead on the score-board. In the later time, Eduardo Astrada marked a goal from the field and doubled the tally. Adolfo Cambiaso, the fabled polo pro of Argentina, in a counter-offence obtained the first goal for Crab Orchard and trailed
by one score, 2-1.
The speed of the game slowed down in the second round and both the teams added one score each in the seven and half minutes of play. Cambiaso notched another goal for Crab Orchard, while Santiago Toccalino managed it for Las Monjitas and led the period by
a single point, 3-2.
The third set of play completely belonged to Las Monjitas which received two points, while holding Crab Orchard scoreless in the period. Eduardo Astrada and Merlos scored one goal each to close out the first half of action with Las Monjitas sitting on top
with a three-point lead, 5-2.
In the second half, the outfit of Las Monjitas further paced up their attack and established their dominance in the game. Merlos connected on a couple of penalty-shots and further expanded their lead up to five goals. Hilario Ulloa scored first goal of the
day to make Crab Orchard alive in the game. Crab Orchard trailed by four goals after four-chukkas of play, 7-3.
The attackers of Crab Orchard cranked up their offence in the second last frame to creep the score close. Ulloa and Nachi du Plessis converted two and one penalty shot respectively and cut the lead down to single goal, 7-6, with one chukka left to play.
In the final action, Ulloa connected on another penalty-shot and had it all even at 7-7. Unfortunately, Cambiaso fell on the ground after a hard collision and could not be normalised for the next four minutes. With one minute left on the clock, the attackers
of Las Monjitas carried out an attack towards Crab Orchard. Camilo Bautista managed to take the ball away, pushed a powerful shot perfectly into the goal-post and sealed the Las Monjitas' victory by 8-7.
The impressive triumph pushed Las Monjitas into the semi-final round of the US Open Championship. It was a disappointing season for Crab Orchard which could not taste the final of any tournament of the Triple Crown series.
Part 2 of the article is continued Las Monjitas versus Crab Orchard: US Open Polo Championship Recap and Player Ratings - Part 1
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