USPA North America Cup Polo Tournament

Piaget runs over Ruby Q/Palm City in
North American Cup

By Alex Webbe

A four goal fourth chukker carried Piaget (Melissa Ganzi, Jeff Hall, Juan Bollini and
Juan Badiola) over Ruby Q/Palm City (Diego Cossio, Joaquin Panelo, Tommy Biddle
and Joey Casey) Tuesday afternoon in an 11-7 win in USPA North America Cup
competition at the Palm City Polo Club in Boca Raton, Florida.

In a defensive opening chukker Jeff Hall scored the only goal in the closing seconds of
the period for an early 1-0 Piaget lead.

A goal from the field from Piaget team captain Melissa Ganzi and a pair of penalty
conversions for goals by Hall had Piaget in front, 4-1 in the second. Tommy Biddle
tallied Ruby Q/Palm City’s only goal on an impressive 110 yard shot through the goal
posts.

Hall added another goal to the Piaget total on a well-placed backhander halfway
through the third chukker. Ruby Q/Palm City jumped back into the fray with three goals
in the period with Joaquin Panelo, Joey Casey and Biddle (penalty goal) to end the first
half trailing Piaget by a single goal, 5-4.

A re-energized Piaget team took control of the game in the opening chukker of the
second half outscoring Ruby Q/Palm City 4-1. Three goals from Piaget’s Melissa Ganzi
and a single goal from teammate Hall gave them a four goal, 9-5 lead. Panelo scored
Ruby Q/Palm City’s only goal on a run to goal from the throw-in.

Two more goals from Hall in the fifth chukker gave Piaget a commanding 11-6 lead.
Ruby Q/Palm City picked up a single goal from Diego Cossio as they struggled to stay
in the game.

Piaget continued to press the attack in the final chukker but errant passes and missed
goal shots by both teams bogged down the scoring. Cossio scored the only goal of the
sixth chukker with less than a minute left in regulation time. The final horn sounded with
Piaget celebrating the 11-7 victory.

Play will continue in the 2012 USPA North America Cup at the Grand Champions
Polo Club at 2PM on Friday, October 9th when Audi (Marc Ganzi, Carlitos Gracida, Nic
Roldan and Carlos Gracida) face KIG (bash Kazi, Kris Kampsen, Sugar Erskine and
Hector Galindo).