La Fe Eastern Hay won the Semi-final of the U.S. Open Women's Polo Championship on Thursday 6th February, winning 11-9 against USPA Women's Gold Cup winners North Star at the Port Mayaca Polo Club. With this win, they take their place in Sunday's Final against Buena Vibra to battle it out for the most prestigious title in the ladies US high goal season.
An incredible first half from La Fe Eastern Hay saw them come out all guns blazing, piling on the pressure early. 5 goals in the 2nd chukka to North Star's 0 saw them go into the 3rd chukka 4 goals up. North Star made a valient effort, scoring 2 goals per chukka but it wasn't enough to overcome that initial advantage.
It was a tightly contested match, with possession switching evenly between the two teams, but with Hope Arellano deadly accurate out in front and from the penalty line, even the duo of Meghan Gracida and Hazel Jackson, that has proven so unbeatable in past matches, was unable to pull it back and overcome the deficit.
The Teams:
Chukka Breakdown:
Score Progression:
Game Statistics:
Selected Match Highlights:
When Fatima Balzano loses possession of the ball she has won out of the throw in she makes a clever play. Instead of giving up, she pulls up and turns inside the defending player. She waits for the backhand and intercepts the ball, picking it up and running it to goal even under defensive pressure on her offside: