NEWS

Hosted by Beverly Polo Club in The Plains, Virginia, Santa Aurelia (Barry Henderson, Duilio Diaz, Gonzalo Fucci, Charles Muldoon) faced-off against Beverly Polo (Elizabeth Keys, Juan “Bauti” Peluso, Lucio Fernandez Ocampo, Wil Ballhaus) for the National Eight Goal on Sunday, September 15. Recently capturing the 12- to 16-goal Eastern Challenge with Salamander, Ocampo and Ballhaus united with finalists Keys and Peluso to vie for a second consecutive national title. Excelling in open play, a seven-goal performance from Ocampo, including five from the field, powered Beverly Polo past their opponents to claim the 10-8 win.

Establishing Beverly Polo’s early edge, Peluso and Ocampo combined for three goals in the opening chukker to seize a 3-1 lead. Trading conversions in the second chukker, Beverly Polo began to pull away in the third. Leaning on the duo of Ocampo and Peluso once more, three unanswered goals capped off the period. Holding Santa Aurelia to just three penalty conversions from Fucci in the first half, Beverly Polo entered the break with a comfortable 7-3 advantage.

Chipping away at their deficit in the fourth, a standout chukker from Fucci included three conversions to keep Santa Aurelia within striking distance. Outscoring Beverly Polo for the first time in the match, Fucci carried their momentum into the fifth chukker, earning his first from the field to narrow Beverly Polo’s lead 9-7. Despite a final push from Fucci, one final goal from Peluso was ultimately all Beverly Polo needed to counter Santa Aurelia and seal the victory.

All photos courtesy of ©Rebekah Pizana.