Jedi Marches Past Las Monjitas 10-7 In Key C.V. Whitney Cup
Quarterfinal Game Sunday at Stanford Field at International Polo Club

WELLINGTON, FL (March 19, 2006) – Top-seeded Jedi won its fourth consecutive game, 10-6 over Las Monjitas, in the quarterfinals of the 26-goal C.V. Whitney Cup Sunday on Stanford Field at International Polo Club Palm Beach.

In other quarterfinals, 9-goaler Facundo Pieres scored nine goals as Black Watch eliminated defending champion White Birch 11-8; 10-goaler Sebastian Merlos scored seven goals to lead Lechuza Caracas over BTA 12-6 and ERG overcame the loss of 10-goaler Agustin Merlos en route to a 13-10 victory over Skeeterville.

In Thursday’s semifinals, Jedi (4-0) plays Black Watch (3-1) at 1 p.m. followed by ERG (3-1) against Lechuza Caracas (3-1) at 3 p.m. The final is Sunday at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field at International Polo Club.

Jedi scored three unanswered goals in the fourth chukker, two by patron Torsten Koch, to pull away from a 6-3 halftime lead.

“It was very close at the beginning; we were only ahead by three goals and three goals is nothing,” said Jedi 8-goaler Alex Agote. “We didn’t change anything at halftime, we just played the same consistent polo. Our plan was to control the ball, to hit soft passes and use Pablo’s (MacDonough) speed with the ball.”

After 9-goaler Adam Snow of Las Monjitas missed a 30-yard penalty shot, Koch tapped in a loose ball after teammate Juan Martin Nero lost the ball in front of the goal. The 22-year-old Koch added his second goal in the same manner with 31 seconds remaining to give Jedi a 9-3 lead.

This is Jedi and Koch’s first year competing in high-goal polo at International Polo Club and their first game on Stanford Field.

“I felt comfortable out there, I felt good,” said Koch.

MacDonough and Nero led Jedi with four goals apiece. Nero’s four goals all came in the first half as Jedi built a 6-3 lead.

Eight-goaler Mariano Gonzalez scored all six goals for Las Monjitas (2-2). Nine-goalers Adam Snow and Eduardo Novillo Astrada and patron Camilo Bautista did not score.

Black Watch avenged its defeat to White Birch in last year’s C.V. Whitney Cup final, taking a 9-8 lead into the final chukker and controlling the play, led by the 19-year-old Pieres. His ninth and final goal came with 2:15 remaining on a 20-yard neck shot.

Gonzalito Pieres added one goal for Black Watch (3-1), which receiving one goal by handicap to start the game. Nacho Figueras and patron Neil Hirsch did not score. Nine-goaler Lucas Criado led White Birch (2-2) with six goals and 10-goaler Mariano Aguerre added two goals. Miguelito Torres and patron Peter Brant did not score.

Lechuza Caracas (3-1) scored five consecutive goals in the fourth and fifth chukkers, all by Sebastian Merlos, to overcome a 7-6 halftime deficit.

Eight-goaler Sapo Caset scored four goals and Magoo Laprida added one goal for Lechuza Caracas while patron Victor Vargas did not score. Ten-goaler Mike Azzaro led BTA (2-2) with three goals while Jeff Blake, Rookie Bailleu and K.C. Beal scored one goal apiece. BTA received two goals by handicap to start the game.

ERG’s Agustin Merlos was injured a riding muscle early in the game and team replaced him and patron Scott Wood with Ruben Sola and Facundo Sola. However, Gaston Urturi replaced Facundo Sola in the second half as ERG made its move.

Nine-goaler Matias Magrini led ERG (3-1) with six goals while Ruben Sola scored four goals, all in the second half, Pablo Spinacci added two goals and Urturi had one goal.

Ignacio Toccalino led Skeeterville (2-2) with six goals while patron Skeeter Johnston and Julio Arellano added two goals and Owen Rinehart had one goal.

Fourteen teams, the largest field of the 2006 winter season, entered the tournament, including seven 10-goalers, only two of which remain – an injured Agustin Merlos of ERG and Sebastian Merlos of Lechuza Caracas.

The tournament is named in memory of Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney, who along with his cousin John Hay Whitney, were important polo patrons in the 1930's. The son of Hall of Fame patron Harry Payne Whitney, C.V. won the U.S. Open three times (twice against his brother), and was a renowned owner and breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.

The polo matches at International Polo Club are open to the public. General admission for the Sunday games at International Polo Club Palm Beach is $10 for adults. Children under 12 enter for free. Tickets may be purchased at the gate on the day of the game.

International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South, between Pierson Road and Lake Worth Road in Wellington. For information, directions or ticket purchases, please call the club at (561) 204-5687 or visit the website at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
 
C.V. Whitney Schedule
 
Thursday                      1 PM   Jedi vs. Black Watch   
Thursday                      3 PM   ERG vs. Lechuza Caracas       
 
Sunday, March 26        3 PM   Final
 

International Polo Club
Palm Beach