USPA Kay Colee Memorial Finals

Jones stars in Audi win in Colee Memorial Cup finals

By Alex Webbe

Dawn Jones scored three first chukker goals as Audi rolled to an 1108 win over Newport in the finals of the 2011 USPA Kay Colee Memorial Cup Sunday at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington.

Jones, substituting for the injured Melissa Ganzi (shoulder) powered Audi to a 13-8 win over Elangeni Ranch on Friday to earn a spot in Sunday’s finals with a tournament high eight goals.   Jones opened the first chukker of the finals with three consecutive goals for Audi, scoring twice from the field and once on a penalty shot.

Newport received one goal by handicap but watched Jones score the first three goal of the opening chukker.  Seven-goaler Jota Chavanne got Newport back into it as he added a goal from the field and a penalty goal to end the first period in a 3-3 tie.

Jones put Audi back on top with her fourth goal of the day to open the second chukker followed by a goal from teammate Juan Bollini.  Chavanne answered for Newport with a pair of goals, but a final score from Joey Casey kept Audi ahead by a narrow 6-5 margin.

Audi took control of the third chukker picking up two goals from 6-goaler Jason Crowder and a final goal from Bollini.  Shutout defense kept Newport off of the scoreboard and Audi rode off the field with an impressive 9-5 halftime lead.

Fourth chukker goals from Chavanne and Gene Goldstein went unanswered as Newport tried to play their way back into the game.  Audi continued to lead, but the margin was cut to two goals, 9-7.

A second consecutive period of lights out defense by Newport and a single goal from J. J. Celis had Newport knocking on the door.  With one chukker left to play, Newport trailed 9-8.

Bollini scored the first two goals of the sixth chukker (one on a penalty shot and one from the field) while the Audi team shut down offensive run after offensive run by Newport.  The final bell sounded with Audi on the winning end of an 11-8 score.

Jones and Bollini led the Audi team with four goals apiece.  Crowder added a pair of goals and Casey added one for the win.

Chavanne scored five times for Newport.  Celis and Goldstein recorded single goals and the team received one goal by handicap.

Bollini was named MVP for his efforts and X-Box, a four-year-old Bay stallion, ridden by Dawn Jones and owned by Halo Polo, was named Best Playing Pony.

ELANGENI REANCH WINS CONSOLATION ROUND-ROBIN

After losing its opening game of the tournament, Elangeni Ranch scored wins over Grand Champions (3-2) and Piaget (4-3) to take top honors in Sunday’s three-team round-robin consolation match at the Grand Champions Polo Club.

Elangeni Ranch was spotted one goal by handicap and picked up single goals from Timmy Sharma and Diego Cossio while holding Grand Champions to goals from Ashley Van Metre and Kris Kampsen for a 3-2 win.

With Elangeni Ranch sitting down for three chukkers, Grand champions and Piaget battled to a 6-6 tie.

Paul Knapp scored the opening goal of the second match-up to give Piaget the early 1-0 lead.  Three goals from Van Metre and a single goal from Walter Scherb ended the first chukker with Grand Champions leading 3-2.  A goal from Nic Roldan had Piaget trailing 4-2 after the first period.

Goals from Marc Ganzi and Nic Roldan got Piaget back into it in, knotting it up at 4-4.  Kampsen closed out the scoring with a goal to keep Grand Champions ahead, 5-4.

Kampsen stretched the Grand Champions lead to a pair of goals, picking up the first goal of the period, but Piaget wasn’t ready to throw in the towel.

Ganzi brought Piaget to within a goal followed by a last second score from Paul Knapp for a 6-6 draw.

With one win in hand, all Elangeni Ranch had to do was down Piaget for the win.

Knapp scored the opening goal of the final three chukkers of the round-robin while the Piaget defense held Elangeni Ranch scoreless.  Elangeni Ranch received one goal by handicap, however, and the first chukker ended in a 1-1 tie.

Leo Mandelbaum scored Piaget’s second goal of the game to open the second frame, but Elangeni Ranch answered with a pair of goals from Timmy Sharma and a single goal from Diego Cossio for a 4-2 advantage.

Piaget held Elangeni Ranch scoreless for the final chukker, but was held to a single penalty goal from Ganzi for the final 4-3 score and the Elangeni Ranch victory.