Newport and UConn players with coaches before the game

March 31, 2001………. Portsmouth, RI: In Saturday's interscholastic youth polo match hosted by the Newport Polo Club, the visiting team from the University of Connecticut Polo Club defeated Newport 11-5 in a 3 chukka game.

Rotating in the lineup for UConn were Beth Morgensen, Jen Bosco, Stephanie Small, Heather Rasulis and Meaghan Scanlon. UConn took the lead early in the high-scoring match, striking the first goal after one minute and fifteen seconds of play. Newport quickly answered with a goal by team captain Elise Markell playing in the #3 position. UConn rallied with three more goals, ending the chukka with a solid 4-1 lead. With fresh horses for both teams, and alternating players for UConn, the second chukka repeated the action and intensity of the first, by exchanging goal for goal, with Markell scoring again for Newport, before UConn again raised the ante with 3 unanswered goals for an 8-2 lead.

After a strategic lineup change of Marie Sharp to the #1 position, Newport came back strong in the third chukka with back-to-back goals by Markell and Crissa Keene of Portsmouth, playing in the #2 position. UConn rallied back with a pair of goals before Newport scored again, ending the match 11-5.

For the Newport team who have been training all winter this was their first outing against a team from another club. Coach David Markell said he was extremely pleased with the performance of the team:

"Newport were never discouraged and came back extremely strongly in the third chukka - never giving up hope and rapidly learning from their mistakes. We have strong hopes for our next match"

Dave Markell also said:

"We would also like to thank senior members of the Newport Club who loaned horses so that we could host this game, who helped with time keeping, umpiring and in the tack room before and after the match helping our guests find their way around."

Newport's interscholastic team will host Yale next before traveling to face Cornell and then hosting Georgetown in the early summer.

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The Newport Polo Club's interscholastic program offers group and private lessons for boys and girls up to age 18, and league competition in the eastern conference of interscholastic polo clubs including UConn, Yale, Cornell, Georgetown.

In the United States there are presently 20 interscholastic polo programs, most of which are affiliated with universities that have their own collegiate polo club for inter-collegiate competition.