Aiken Ladies Invitational continues
Several teams had strong showings Tuesday in the 302 Polo USPA Aiken Ladies Invitational presented by MavOffice.com.
In the Zero Goal flight Polo Bear trounced Oak Grove Texas 9-2.
The 3-5 goal Signature flight featured two games. And it was Serius Solutions defeating Buckleigh Farms 10-6. Serius Solutions was paced by Tiffany Busch who scored 5 goals in the victory, Erica Gandomcar added 3 goals. Lydia Bibeau and Rosie Ross each tallied twice for Buckleigh Farms. Ross was injured during the game.
Brigadoon/Goose Creek defeated the defending champion in the 3-5 goal Signature flight, Holley Tractor, in the day's second game at Loughrea Plantation.
Brigadoon/Goose Creek's Sunny Hale, playing in her first game in Aiken, opened the scoring successfully converting a penalty shot 36 seconds into the game to tie the score at 1 goal. Holley Tractor received a goal as a result of the handicap differential. Hale made it 2-1 Brigadoon/Goose Creek early in the 2nd chukker, with another successful penalty conversion. Alina Carta tied the game at 2-2 with 3.44 left in the period. Sheri-Lyn Hensman continued her strong play scoring her first goal of the game and giving Brigadoon/Goose Creek a lead they would never relinquish. Hale would score on a 30-yard penalty shot with 1:49 left and Hensman would convert another penalty shot 53 seconds later to give Brigadoon/Goose Creek 5-2 lead going into the half.
Hale opened the scoring in the second half for Brigadoon/Goose Creek. But Lesley Ann Masterton Fong-Yee would answer back at 5:02 of the chukker. The teams would trade goals before the end of the game, with the powerful combination of Hale and Hensman serving as the catalyst for Brigadoon/Goose Creek, who along with Christine Cato and Maureen Brennan secured the victory
"It was a good game to start out the tournament," said Hale. "It's kind of hard when you haven't had the opportunity to practice as a team. Everyone performed a job, we weren't relying on one or two people. All four players made plays, and finished their plays. I think that was the key that motivated us to get out there and start going. We talked prior to the game about how everyone has a functioning role. It's not a one or two person team. It's a four player team, and that everyone should maintain possession when they get the ball, everyone did a good job with that, and also marking their player.
C-Spear will meet Equine Divine in the finals of the 0-2 Campbell Cup at 3 p.m. Saturday at Meadow Hill.
In the zero goal flight Polo Bear vs. Jamaica at Loughrea East at 10 a.m. followed by Regent vs. Oak Grove Texas at 11:30 a.m. at Loughrea East. In the 3-5 goal Signature flight, Brigadoon/Goose Creek will play Serius Solutions at 3 p.m. at Loughrea West, and Holley Tractor will play Buckleigh Farms at 4:30 p.m. also at Loughrea West.
Contact Ben Baugh at bbaugh@aikenstandard.com.