USA Women Fight the Good Fight
February 23, 2008, Curico, Chile: … One of the largest crowds of the season gathered at the Club de Polo Curico in southern Chile to witness an ambitious American women's team from the Newport Polo Club in an impressive display of bravery and gusto in a 4-chukker match against one of the top women's teams in South America. The match was slated the main event of the day, following several under card matches on the balmy 75° sunny afternoon.
USA's Amy Rice, captain at #1, Jenn Mitchell at #2, Brooke Still at #3 and Heather Rasulis, player-coach at #4 were trying out horses and practicing twice a day since their midweek arrival in Chile to prepare for the match, in addition to team-bonding on a white-water rafting trip in the Andes, getting saddle-fit trail riding in the mountains, limbering up on the dance floor, acclimating by the poolside, and being well nourished around the clock by their exuberant Chilean hosts to psych them up in anticipation of facing a team of Chilean women that has played together since childhood and tours all of South America to defeat every challenger that beckons.
Playing for Chile were Alicia Gonzalez at #1, Marley Neumann at #2, Ina Weber at #3 and Sofia Hamilton at #4. Given a three-point handicap at the outset of the match to make up for the strength of their opponents, the USA team fought hard despite rattling last minute horse and lineup changes ordered by Don Felix Garrido, honorary coach, host and mascot, and never lost heart even though lady luck failed to show up on their bench, causing narrow misses and shots stopping short of the goal line.
In the first chukker, USA succeeded in effectively
stopping the game plan of the Chilean team, holding them scoreless with
good defensive work including blocking two penalty shots, which enabled
USA to put some good offensive plays into action. Tensions heightened
when USA's anchor, Rasulis had a brush with doom but remounted without hesitation after a dazzling tumble that frightened
onlookers to their feet. In the second chukker, the Chileans
regrouped and found the goal but the Americans continued to play tough
and responded to the increased pressure. Without a half-time
breather, the third chukker was ramped up a notch in speed as the
Americans now showed greater confidence in their mounts, made stunning
saves at goal and continued offensive threats as well, keeping the
Chileans on the run. The fourth chukker surpassed the first three
as the Americans played their hearts out, blocking and passing beyond
their wildest dreams, but the Chileans managed several more points
before it was all over. The Chilean coach admitted his marked
impressions after the match ~ 'you made me suffer'. The final score was 6-3
but does not reflect the satisfaction of all 4 Americans who reached
deep and left it all on the field, playing the match of their lives.
Trophies and eloquent kudos were presented by Garrido and others
field-side with the beautiful mountain range as a backdrop to the pitch
that holds fond memories for Newporters and Chileans alike. The
Americans each accepted their honors with expressions of gratitude for
the hospitality and camaraderie of the club and their hosts. Local
television media covered the event, and a generous bar-b-que concluded
the day's festivities.
