Phillips scores goal in OT for Flat Out win

By Alex Webbe

Brandon Phillips took control of the ball in the opening minute of overtime and scored
the winning goal as Flat Out (Paul Knapp, Brandon Phillips, Jeff Hall and Sarah Knapp)
celebrated its 9-8 win over a talented Piaget foursome in the finals of the 2012 USPA
Fall Plates at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington Thursday afternoon.

You knew from the opening throw-in that it was going to be a very physical game, and
following an opening chukker that produced a single goal, and hotly contested as well.

Flat Out’s Jeff Hall scored the first and only goal of the first chukker on a penalty
conversion for the early 1-0 lead, but for the next four chukkers it was all Piaget.

A stalwart Piaget defense held Flat Out scoreless in the second period while picking
up penalty goals from Juan Bollini and Mariano Gonzalez. At the end of the second
chukker Piaget held a narrow 2-1 advantage.

Gonzalez scored twice from the field in the third period while Flat Out managed a single
goal from Paul Knapp. At the end of the first half Piaget held a two goal lead, 4-2.

Paul Knapp converted a penalty shot to open the scoring in the second half, but that
was where the offense fluttered. Two goals from Piaget’s Gonzalez ended the period
with Flat Out trailing by three goals, 6-3.

A rejuvenated Flat Out team took the field in the fifth chukker and wasted little time
attacking the Piaget goal. Penalty goals from Hall and Paul Knapp went unanswered as
Flat Out cut the Piaget lead to a single goal, 6-5.

Gonzalez opened the sixth chukker with a goal to put Piaget on top, 7-5, but Flat Out
stormed back. Consecutive goals from Phillips and Paul Knapp (penalty conversion)
tied it at 7-7, with Hall scoring from the field to give Flat Out its first lead since the first
chukker, 8-7. With time running out in regulation play, Gonzalez stuffed the ball through
a crowd of defenders to tie it up at 8-8 and force the sudden-death overtime period.

Flat Out took control of the ball from the opening seconds of overtime and watched as
Phillips stroked the ball through the Piaget goal posts for the winning goal, 9-8.

Gonzalez led all scoring with seven goals. Bollini added a single goal in the loss.

Paul Knapp scored four goals for Flat Out (three on penalty shots). Hall accounted for
three more and Phillips scored twice in the win, including the winner in overtime.

Piaget Ambassador Jeff Hall was named Casablanca Player of the Week as well as
receiving MVP honors in the 2012 USPA Fall Plates.

Halo Polo’s six-year-old Bay stallion, Qurzo, received Best Playing Pony honors.