Pilot defeated Park Place, recent winners of the CV Whitney Cup, by a 11-10 score to win the USPA Gold Cup, the second leg of the Gauntlet of Polo, following the final played at International Polo Club Palm Beach on Sunday, March 27. Facundo Pieres scored the winning goal in extra chukka.The victory gave the organisation their first title in three years.
In the final, Pilot, who received one goal on handicap, were very accurate in their attack, meaning they had a two goal advantage by the end of the first half. But Park Place didn’t give up – they made remarkable comeback outscoring Pilot 3-1 in the fourth to tie the game at 9-all. Both teams fought hard in the fifth, leading to another tie; a scoreless sixth period followed, which meant that the match went into extra chukka.
As happened in the league stage of the CV Whitney Cup, Facundo Pieres scored the winning goal in OT, giving Pilot their first US title in three years.
FINAL USPA GOLD CUP: PILOT 11-10 PARK PLACE
PILOT: Curtis Pilot 0, Mackenzie Weisz 5, Matias Torres Zavaleta 7, Facundo Pieres 10 (10 goals). Total: 22.
PARK PLACE: Josh Hyde 0 (1 goal), Juan Britos 9 (6), Hilario Ulloa 10 (3), Cody Ellis 3. Total: 23.
Progresión Park Place: (1-0) 3-1, 5-3, 8-6, 9-9, 10-10, 10-10, 11-10.
MVP: Facundo Pieres.
BPP: Open Azarenka, played by Facundo Pieres.
BPP presented by the Argentine Polo Pony Breeders Assn.: Open Azarenka, played by Facundo Pieres.
The Gauntlet of Polo continues on Tuesday, March 29, with the US Open Polo Championship. Twenty teams, up to 22 goals, will compete. The finals are set to be played on Sunday, April 24.
USPA GOLD CUP: Fixture & Teams
IMAGES:
