With high expectations after a disappointing end to last season, the Virginia men’s and women’s polo teams came out swinging this past weekend over four days of intense competition from Oct. 24 to Oct. 27.
For the past three years, the Virginia Polo Center has hosted the Virginia Fall Invitational to mark the start of the fall intercollegiate polo season. This year was no different as Virginia welcomed Kentucky, Southern Methodist, Texas A&M and Cornell for four days of play.
The Virginia men played their first game Thursday against Kentucky and commanded the arena from the first chukker onwards. The men trailed for approximately one minute by one goal in the first chukker before asserting their dominance. At the end of the sixth chukker, the score was 23-6 in favor of Virginia, and the men’s spot in the finals was secured.
The men’s final Saturday was a fast-paced game as Virginia took on Southern Methodist. Teammates since middle school, sophomores Jack McLean and Brennan Wells put on a clinic in classic arena play by passing well, using the “boards” of the arena and anticipating the ball’s bounce. Wells led the men with 11 goals as the Cavaliers won with a final score of 21-8.
“Going into Saturday’s final, I knew it was going to be a very physical game and that I would need to bring my A-game,” Wells said. “After the game, I was satisfied with how the team played together against a tough SMU team. I was fortunate enough to be involved in many offensive team plays that allowed me to put points up on the board.”
The strong start to the season positions Virginia well to compete for a national title.
“I am extremely pleased with our performance in the tournament and think that it sets a fantastic tone for the rest of the season,” McLean said. “We are especially hungry for a national championship this year and have been preparing ourselves for success by pushing each other to the best of our abilities every single practice. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the year holds for us.”
Friday night, the women entered the arena fresh off a dominant performance in the National Women’s Arena Handicap, which they won three weeks ago. The team was confident in itself and its “A String” of Virginia horses, but Kentucky was not to be underestimated. The first chukker proved to be more difficult than anticipated for the Cavaliers, as the score was 3-2 while the women switched onto Kentucky horses for chukker two.
The unique “split-string” format adds a layer of difficulty to the collegiate polo game as players from both teams play each other’s horses. On the women’s side, players play at least two unfamiliar horses over the course of a four-chukker match, while each member of the men’s team plays three unfamiliar horses over six chukkers.
The Kentucky horses and Virginia horses are quite different, and both teams struggled to adjust to their new ponies at first. The women’s team played the “split-string” format for the first time, and that was apparent in the first half. In the second half of play, the women found their rhythm and secured the win 14-6, as well as a spot in the finals. Sophomore Maddie Grant led scorers with nine goals.
The women faced Cornell Sunday in the final match of the weekend. The Cornell women, led by senior captain Shariah Harris, are a great defensive team and forced the Cavaliers into uncharacteristic fouls. Virginia's team-play was effective, however, as Grant's teammates worked throughout the game to block Cornell's defenders and clear a path to the goal. Grant made the most of every opportunity, converting 15 of the Cavalier's 19 goals. Ultimately, Virginia prevailed with a final score of 19-9.
"I tried to invite the most competitive teams in the country [to the Invitational] in order to determine the strengths and weaknesses of my teams,” Coach Lou Lopez said. “I am very pleased with the performance of both teams so far."
The women’s next game will take place Friday at 6 p.m. in Charlottesville against Skidmore, while the men will also play Skidmore Saturday at 2 p.m.
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