Great Oaks LL Left as Only Undefeated Team in Gold Cup for the British Open Championship
After rain postponed matches on Tuesday, play resumed Wednesday in the Gold Cup for the British Open Championship as Great Oaks LL captured their second victory, defeating Talandracas 10-8. With the win, Great Oaks LL improved to 2-0 and is the only team of 13 holding an undefeated record.
Scoring the first five goals of the match, Great Oaks LL produced a rapid start that left Talandracas fighting from behind and unable to pull even despite the best efforts of Camilo Castagnola. Shooting just 3 for 16, Talandracas lost the open play battle to an organized Great Oaks LL team that converted with much higher shooting percentage, finishing with 56% accuracy. Deploying a well-rounded four-man performance, Great Oaks LL received contributions across the line-up, led by Bartolome Castagnola’s three goals and four assists. Using their strong start, Great Oaks LL never looked back to hold on for the 10-8 victory on the Brooks Field at Cowdray Park Polo Club.
The first chukka set the tone of the match as Great Oaks LL overwhelmed Talandracas across the field. Outshooting their opponents 7-1, Great Oaks scored the first five goals, all inside the opening seven minutes to build a significant lead. All four Great Oaks LL found the scoresheet displaying a quick passing attack that left Talandracas stunned. Marcos Araya ended the Great Oaks LL, scoring both of his team’s goals in the second chukka to bring the deficit back to four, but it was short-lived as Great Oaks LL continued to manage their lead. Two goals from Bartolome Castagnola ended the half as Talandracas were unable to close the gap any further, facing an 8-3 difference entering the second half.
A resilient Talandracas team exited the halftime break determined to challenge Great Oaks LL and found their first momentum of the game. Scoring three unanswered goals, Camilo Castagnola and Diego Cavanagh led a Talandracas attack that quickly turned a five-goal deficit to just two, leaving the outcome in doubt over the final two chukkas. Great Oaks LL provided an opening for Talandracas as they missed both penalty attempts in the fifth and sixth chukkas, however, Talandracas converted just one of their final five shots to remain behind. Cruz Heguy helped maintain Great Oaks LL’s lead as a last push from Talandracaas fell short in the 10-8 defeat.