NEWS

After a four-year hiatus, Aiken Polo Club in Aiken, South Carolina, hosted the USPA Southeastern Circuit Women’s Challenge, October 12-16. Fielding a total of seven teams with both an A Flight and B Flight, the women’s competition was at an all-time high showcasing fast and open polo.

A Flight
Hyde Park/Starfish (11)
Amy Flowers 2
Cecelia Cochran 5
Kylie Sheehan 4
Malia Bryan A

Pizza Joint/Playoffs (12)
Penny Smith 1
Ana Coscia 3
Courtney Asdourian 6
Laura Brown 2

Prime Steakhouse (12)
Theresa King 3
Cristina Fernandez 4
Hope Arellano 1
Molly Smith 4

Scribble Horse Polo (11)
Kathy Iverson A
Karen Reese 5
Liv Stringer 4
Tess Pimsner 2

Longwood (11)
Whitney Vogt 3
Rose Sease 1
Pamela Flanagan 3
Belinda Brody 4

B Flight
Autotech/The Aiken Horse (8)
Pam Gleason 2
Tessa Lord 2
Kathy Rhoad A
Maria Fenoglio 4

Detroit Starfires (8)
Norine Foley 1
Katie Johnson 1
Whitney Vogt 3
Emmalyn Wheaton 3

On Wednesday, October 12, Flight B jumpstarted the tournament with the first of two games between the two teams, played on a cumulative score. Autotech/The Aiken Horse overpowered Detroit Starfires 7-3. In the final match, Detroit Starfires played a more cohesive game however Autotech/The Aiken Horse maintained their lead, widening the gap with a final score 15-7. Most Valuable Player was awarded to Maria Fenoglio of Autotech/The Aiken Horse. Best Playing Pony was presented to Picasso owned and played by Detroit Starfires’ Katie Johnson.

In the Flight A semifinal games on Friday, October 14, Hyde Park/Starfish defeated Scribble Horse Polo with a decisive 9-4 victory. A round-robin match for Bracket B followed, featuring Longwood, Pizza Joint/Playoffs and Prime Steakhouse. Both Prime Steakhouse and Pizza Joint/Playoffs prevailed over Longwood. In the pivotal last two chukkers, Pizza Joint/Playoffs edged past Prime Steakhouse by two, despite three consecutive goals from Prime Steakhouse’s Hope Arellano in the final minutes of play.

In the Flight A - USPA Southeastern Circuit Women’s Challenge Final Hyde Park/Starfish faced off against Pizza Joint/Playoffs. “I tried to use everyone’s strongest assets. I wanted to make sure each person was happy in their position and could make not just one play but two or three at a time,” said Cecelia Cochran, captain of Hyde Park/Starfish. It was Pizza Joint/Playoffs that scored the first goal of the game on a Penalty 3 conversion from Courtney Asdourian. The teams traded goals throughout the first half of play. Three goals from each team, two from Asdourian and one from Ana Coscia for Pizza Joint/Playoffs matched two goals from Cochran and another from Kylie Sheehan (Team USPA) for Hyde Park/Starfish, to tie the game 3-all at halftime.

Hyde Park/Starfish came alive in the third with three unanswered goals. Two goals from Sheehan combined with a coast-to-coast goal from Cochran on a Penalty 5, gave Hyde Park/Starfish a comfortable 6-3 lead entering the fourth and final chukker. In the first minutes of play, Pizza Joint/Playoffs was awarded a Penalty 5. Asdourian carried the ball to goal and scored a skillful nearside neckshot to close the gap. Pizza Joint/Playoffs continued their comeback with another goal from Asdourian, this time on a Penalty 3 to bring the score within one. A little over two minutes left in regulation time, Pizza Joint/Playoffs was unable to capitalize on a game tying opportunity on a Penalty 6 (safety). A Penalty 3 miss from Hyde Park/Starfish with only a minute on the clock kept Pizza Joint/Playoffs within reach. The horn sounded as Coscia ran to goal, but a bad bounce landed the ball on the mallet of Malia Bryan who cleared it to end the game 6-5 in favor of Hyde Park/Starfish.

“I had never played with this team and have not played in a women’s tournament in probably six years—it was so much fun, all the women are very talented. Equally as important, everyone had a wonderful attitude and was very helpful and encouraging. It was a fantastic experience and a great opportunity to be with so many wonderful women enjoying the same passion for such an amazing sport. I was honored to be on this team,” beamed Amy Flowers of Hyde Park/Starfish.

“Today was a good game. We knew it could either way and unfortunately we made some mistakes when we could not afford it. All my teammates played hard and put in a great effort, but our few mistakes cost us the game,” stated Asdourian.

Best Playing Pony honors were presented to Eleanor owned and played by Asdourian. “Eleanor is a six-year-old thoroughbred I bought as a three-year-old prospect. There is no better feeling then enjoying her now in my tournaments. She has a lot of talent and being recognized as the BPP of the match was a proud moment for me,” Asdourian said with a smile. Most Valuable Player was awarded to 16-year-old Malia Bryan, her third women’s tournament win alongside Cochran and her third career MVP – we are bound to see more from this powerful duo.

“I am so happy that we had such a great turnout. Very appreciative of all the ladies that travelled from far and took time from work and family to play in the tournament. It was a great weekend of women’s polo,” said Aiken Polo Club Manager Kristen Galvan.

All photos courtesy of Elizabeth Hedley.