Greenwich Polo Club
Sept. 4, '05

Charging back from a five goal deficit, Airstream defeated Bliss, 12-9 today. Bliss, up four by handicap, took a 5-0 lead in the first chukker, on what may have been the goal of the day. Nick Manifold made a great neck shot from 70 yards out for the first goal from the field.

But then the Carlos Gracida show began. He scored  Airstream's first goal after a nice run. Then off the next two throw ins, he got the ball and found the goal posts. Thus the teams went into the second with Bliss up, 5-3. However Gracida allowed no bliss for the men in white. For he wasted little time before scoring the first goal of the second, on a bouncer. A penalty shot by Gaston Lisioli, made it 6-4 after two chukkers.

In the third, Manifold showed that his team was not going to stop battling as he scored with less than 30 seconds elapsed. It was to be the last goal until the fifth chukker for Bliss. A shot by Memo Gracida slowed as it approached the goal line, but had just enough left to make it over the line. Then Peter Orthwein, with the ball, put on a nice display of horsemanship circling around until he had the right angle to send it in.

Carlos Gracida converted a penalty four to tie the match at 7-7 in the fourth, and his brother Memo, scored from the field to put Airstream ahead to stay. The brothers cemented the lead in the fifth, as Memo scored twice from the field and Carlos made a penalty shot, hitting ball through a stiff breeze.

With seven goals on the day, Carlos Gracida was named the Most valuable Player. His Bruma, a gray six old American Thoroughbred, who he played in the second chukker, and part of the fifth, was named Best Playing Pony.     

Airstream will face White Birch on Wednesday, at a time to be announced. Asked if the team was ready, Carlos Gracida, said, "we have to be." He added, " we will be on Sunday," referring to the championship game between the same two teams at 3 PM.

Note:

Bliss line-up 1) Nick Manifold, 2) Martin Estrada, 3) Gaston Lisioli, 4) Martin Ravina.

Airstream: Ruben Coscia, Memo Gracida, Carlos Gracida., Chris. Gannon

Greenwich Polo Club

Season Schedule '05

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Greenwich Polo Club 80 Field Point Road Greenwich, CT 06830 Tel: 203-661-5420 Fax: 203-661-5111 http://www.greenwichpolo.com/