Newport wins Santa Rita Memorial Cup in 9-6 final.
Newport (Milo Dorignac, Mackenzie Weisz, Michel Dorignac and Tony Vita) and Travieso (Teo Calle, Ignacio Viana, Tony Calle and Pedro Falabella) fought to a s-s halftime tie before an explosive second half carried Newport to the 9-6 win in the final of the 2016 Santa Rita Memorial Cup at the Grand Champions Polo Club Monday afternoon.
Newport received one goal by handicap but were unable to add to it in the opening chukker of play. Tony Calle converted a penalty shot that tied it at 1-1 in the low-scoring opening chukker.
The two teams traded goals in the second period. Pedro Falabella scored the first goal of the chukker from the field with Michel Dorignac countering with a penalty conversion that kept the score level at 2-2.
Neither team was able to score in the third chukker with the play racing from one end of the field to the other. At the end of the first half the score remained tied at 2-2.
Tony Vita gave Newport the lead with his first goal of the day, 3-2. Travieso was held scoreless for the second consecutive chukker and trailed 3-2 after four chukkers.
Michel Dorignac converted a penalty shot that extended the Newport lead to two goals, 4-2, when Travieso erupted for three straight goals. Tony Calle scored consecutive goals that tied the game at 4-4. A goal from Falabella made it 5-4, Travieso. Goals from Mackenzie Weisz and Milo Dorignac gave the lead back to Newport in a 6-5 game.
Michel Dorignac opened the scoring in the sixth chukker with a penalty conversion, 7-5. Falabella countered with a goal from the field that cut the Newport lead back down to a single goal, 7-6. Vita closed the door on Travieso with consecutive goals that gave the win to Newport, 9-6.
Michel Dorignac and Vita scored three goals apiece for the win. Milo Dorignac and Weisz added single goals and the team received one goal by handicap. Tony Calle and Falabella each scored three times in the loss.
Michel Dorignac was named MVP while Teo Calle’s Mustaza received Best Playing Pony honors.
(Photo by Alex Pacheco)
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