YALE TAKES FIRST OF THREE GAME SERIES
The Yale Polo Club got off on the right hoof with a 15-11 victory on Saturday, June 10th in the first match of a best-of-three series against Newport during the Newport International Polo Series' 2000 season.

Playing in the #2 position for Yale, Chip Steigler scored an astounding seven goals, including pairs of goals in the third and fifth chukkas and single goals in the first, fourth and fifth. Sasha Bowers also had a big game with goals in the third, fifth and sixth chukkas while alternating in the #1 position with Jerry Kagan, who contributed to Yale's third-chukka roundup with a goal. Andy Flint, in the #3 position, jump-started his team with goals in the first and second chukkas. Elaine Flanagan played in the #4 position. Jonathan Kaye, playing in the #4 position for Newport, carried the team through the first two thirds of the match with a pair of goals in the opening chukka and singles in the second, fourth and fifth. Jacki Shore played in the #3 position and alternated with Dan Keating for the last two chukkas, who scored two points in each. Julie Nelson, who alternated with Wayne Gordon in the #2 position, gave Newport some early momentum with a goal in the opening chukka. Dave Bullis, alternating in the #1 position with EZ Baker, scored a trailing goal in the sixth.

Both teams were revved up and productive in the opening chukka, anxious to test the other's depth and trying to get an edge, which Newport briefly captured with a one goal lead, ending the chukka 3-2. Yale rebounded in the second, delivering two goals against one for Newport, and discovering their magic number by tying the match 4-4. In the next chukka, Yale stunned Newport with a four-goal rally to end the first half leading 8-4. Yale successfully defended its lead in the fourth chukka, matching goal for goal as each team notched on an extra point, making it 9-5. In the fifth chukka Yale again perplexed Newport with four goals, but this time Newport caught them with their gloves down and scored three of their own, raising the stakes to 13-8.

With hopes and mallets riding high, Newport attempted a miracle in the sixth chukka, and it would have worked, had the match been determined by that chukka alone, but their three goals were not enough to overtake the Yale scoring machine who produced two more for a 15-11 finish.