NEWS

Flexjet captured the coveted USPA North American Cup® with a hardfought 11-9 victory over Audi Friday at windswept Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida. In front of a packed house and worldwide ChukkerTV audience, Flexjet (Grant Ganzi, 1, Jason Crowder, 6, Nic Roldan, 8, Jared Sheldon, 4) broke a 6-6 halftime deadlock by outscoring Audi (Marc Ganzi, 1, Jesse Bray, 5, Carlucho Arellano, 5, Jeff Blake, 6), 5-3, in the second half and shutting them out in the fourth and sixth chukkers.

"This was a tough game," Roldan said. "There was not a moment in the game where we thought it was going to get away. They were a super strong team with four tough players with a lot of great chemistry." Roldan, one of America's top-rated player at eight goals, scored a game-high five goals, including three in the second half and was named Most Valuable Player. "We had a plan and we stuck to it," Roldan said. "Grant played great, and so did Jason and Jared. They all played solid. It was a good team effort.”

It was Grant Ganzi's second North American Cup victory. Two years ago, the Lynn University freshman also won the title for Casablanca with Roldan, Blake and Kris Kampsen.

"In the end, we stopped making fouls and they started making some fouls which helped us and we started making some goals," said Ganzi, who filled in a starting role for his mother, Melissa, bedridden with the flu.

"I knew it was going to be real physical from the get-go. I knew we had to get a little physical to win the game. It's a huge win."

The club's 20-goal season-opener promised to be a battle and it was after Wednesday's two opening round games were decided by one goal including one in overtime.

In a physical first half, the lead changed hands six times. Flexjet led 3-2 after the opening chukker and Audi led, 5-4, after the second chukker, before the teams ended deadlocked at 6-6.

The tight battle continued in the second half with Flexjet pulling away for an 8-6 lead after Roldan scored back-to-back goals.

Audi found its offense in the fifth chukker, outscoring Flexjet 3-0 with goals from Marc Ganzi, Bray and Blake for a 9-8 lead at the end of the fifth chukker.

Flexjet roared back with both its stingy defense and offensive firepower with three goals. Grant Ganzi converted a penalty 2 to enable Flexjet to tie the game at 9-9. With 4:48 left, Roldan weaved his way through a crowd to score the go-ahead goal and Sheldon added an insurance goal with 1:01 remaining.

After a great defensive play by Crowder on Arellano, Grant Ganzi drew a foul by the sideboards.

"For us that amazing foul by the boards was the game-changer for us," Roldan said. "There was 1:40 left and if we didn't get that foul we were in trouble. After that, it was just a matter of us controlling the ball, not making a mistake or giving up the ball."

Sheldon and Grant Ganzi each had three goals for Flexjet. Arellano led Audi with three goals, Bray had two and Marc Ganzi and Blake each had one goal. Narnia, a 5-year-old Bay mare owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm and ridden by Bray, was named Best Playing Pony.

It was Flexjet's second consecutive appearance in the North American Cup® Championship Final. Last year's Flexjet team of Melissa Ganzi, Juan Bollini, Crowder and Roldan lost to Travieso's Tony Calle, JJ Celis, Facundo Obregon and MVP Jesse Bray, 12-6.

The club closes out its fall season with the Carlos Gracida Memorial Legends of Polo game and fifth annual International Cup featuring Team USA against Uruguay on November 26.