Piaget clinch 2011 United State Polo Association Eastern Challenge Cup, 8-5: Polo News
Nic Roldan lit the lamp four times, as Piaget trounced Pony Express-Santa Clara by three goals, 8-5 in the finals of the 2011 United States Polo Association (USPA) Eastern Challenge Cup that took place at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, city
of Florida.
The Piaget team established their dominance from the very start of the game and marked eight goals against the five of their competitors to lift the title. Natascha Baecher opened the game by converting a penalty shot at the start of the first chukka and
took the game into their favour. The resilient Piaget defence kept Pony Express off the score-board and led the opening period by a single goal, 1-0.
The two teams exchanged a pair of goals in the second frame to make the game more interesting. Baecher and his team-mate Nic Roldan scored one goal each for Piaget while Bob Daniels and Tomas Goti replied with same two goals to bring their team into the
score net. The second period was ended with Pony Express trailing by a solitary point, 3-2.
The third set of play completely belonged to Pony Express which obtained a single tying goal, while holding Piaget goal-less. Goti converted a penalty shot and had it all even at 3-3 at the half-time.
In the fourth set of play, the Piaget attackers cranked up their offence and managed two goals, while limiting Pony Express only for a single goal. Baecher and Nic Roldan accounted for one goal apiece in the Piaget scoring, while Goti managed a goal for
Pony Express. Piaget once again took a single goal lead, 5-4 with two chukkas left to play.
The speed of the game increased in the last two rounds with both teams struggling to get the ball under their control. Hector Galindo notched a goal in the fifth set of play to level the score, but Baecher and Roldan regained the advantage. Juan Badiola
scored a goal by getting an impressive pass from Baecher while Roldan managed it through a penalty conversion. At the end of the fifth period, Piaget was holding a two goal lead, 7-5.
Interestingly, the Pony Express could not make an addition in the final chukka while Roldan scored off a spot shot to seal the 8-5 Piaget victory. With the triumph, the Piaget captured the title of the USPA Eastern Challenge Cup.
Nic Roldan and Baecher were at their best with four and three goals respectively while Badiola accounted for a single goal. From the other side, Goti marked three goals while Galindo and Daniels scored one goal apiece in the loss.
The MVP award went to Natascha Baecher, while Miss Rock and Roll of Melissa and Marc Ganzi was named as Best Playing Pony of the event.
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