POLO REPORT DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD OF POLO
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PAT MICHAELS
FIVE STRING FARM/WTR ACES WOMEN’S ARENA CHALLENGE
Garrison Forest’s Jenny Schwartz battles with Five String Farm/WTR’s Cindy Halle in the final of the Women’s Arena Challenge at Seneca Polo Club.
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IVE String Farm/Work to Ride captured the USPA Women’s Arena Challenge at Seneca Polo Club in Poolesville, Maryland, June 20. Six teams competed in the 5- to 8goal tournament. Playoffs included two round robins, with the winners of each advancing to the final. In the first round robin on June 18, Destination Imagination (Kelly Xiao, Ava Nunes, Marisa Bianchi) fell to Five String Farm/Work to Ride (Gigi Velasquez, Marisol Jimenez,
46 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Cindy Halle), 7½-5. Destination then doubled up Seneca (Tracy Godey, Leila Chang, Monica Soucy), 4-2. Seneca rebounded in the last round to narrowly edge Five String Farm/Work to Ride, 5-4½. Seneca advanced with the highest net goals. Later that day, Garrison Forest (Sophia Chaisera, Gabby Chaisera, Jenny Schwartz) defeated Ruda (Lucy Steele, Rory Knox, Sarah Lynch), 9-5. Ruda turned around to crush Mountain View (Sierra Goff, Akemi Tinder,
Laura Goddard), 10-1. Mountain View found its groove, matching Garrison Forest goal-for-goal in the last round, but the half-goal handicap it gave Garrison to begin the match was the difference. Garrison Forest prevailed, 5½-5, and earned a spot in the final. The following day, Ruda, Seneca and Destination Imagination played a consolation round robin. Ruda downed Seneca, 8½-2, then edged Destination Imagination, 6½-6. Destination got the best of Seneca, 6-3.
