Maureen Brennan's Goose Creek team overcame Chrys Beal's tough BTA team 7-6 to take the USPA U.S. Women's Open Championship held at the Houston Polo Club on November 10. The final match was a nail-biter, decided in the last period. Four teams played off in the 4- to 6-goal event, held in conjunction with the 0- to 2-goal USPA U.S. Women's Handicap with 10 teams, the Farish Cup Invitational and the Bayou City Cup Invitational, all played over five days.

The action got underway on November 3 with a draw for the Women's Open and Handicap. The games began two days later and were played throughout the week, culminating in the final of each division played on Sunday, November 10.

In the Women's Open division, Goose Creek crushed Lockton 13-3, while BTA edged Arroyo Escondido 6-5 in the first round. Winners BTA and Goose Creek then played off, with Goose Creek taking the win 6-2 and earning a place in the final. First round losers Lockton and Arroyo Escondido played off with Lockton taking the 5-4 edge. That left BTA and Lockton, each with a win and a loss, to playoff for the second final spot. BTA started off strong and held on for the 5-4 win to advance against Goose Creek.

The 6-goal Goose Creek team of Sunny Hale, Julia Smith, Maureen Brennan and Kristy Outhier had defeated the 4-goal BTA squad's Chrys Beal, KC Krueger, Sheila Lequerica and Lia Salvo 6-2 just a few days earlier so BTA knew it was going to have to work hard if it wanted the trophies.

The Women's Open final began with the teams battling and the only score in the first seven minutes coming off the mallet of Hale on a penalty conversion. Lia Salvo matched that in the second chukker, then swapped penalty conversions with Hale to tie the score a 2- 2. Kristy Outhier scored the first field goal, ending the first half with Goose Greek leading 3-2.

KC Krueger scored BTA's first field goal early in the third, briefly tying the score until Hale scored from the penalty line again. Salvo found the goal after a long run, but Hale shot a bullseye through the goal for her fourth penalty conversion. Outhier put Goose Creek ahead 6-4 going into the final period.

BTA had its work cut out for it, but costly mistakes from Goose Creek gave Salvo chances from the penalty line, which she expertly converted to knot the score at 6-6 with time running down. But Hale ended BTA's hopes when she split the uprights with a golden goal to give Goose Creek the win.

Hale was recognized for her efforts and took home MVP honors. Her fourth period horse was Best Playing Pony Pro, while Chrys Beal's second period horse was Best Playing Pony Amateur. Earlier the same day River Oaks Bookstore beat Ruth Chris 6-4 in the Farish Cup Invitational final, while My Recruiting edged Tavaero Jet 4-3 in the Farish Cup consolation. Later BTA stopped Sealy Tractor 2-1 in a Junior Invitational Match.

In the U.S. Women's Open consolation final, Arroyo Escondido's Caroline Anier, Cristi Payan, Sarah Wiseman and Meaghan Scanlon edged Lockton's Cecelia Cochran, Courtney Asdorian, Karen Reese and Mumy Bellande 5-4.

In the U.S. Women's Handicap final, played on Saturday, November 9, Pegasus, led by Lia Salvo, trounced Land Rover 7-2 to take the title, while Neiman Marcus, led by KC Krueger, downed St. Regis for the consolation.

Aside from the action on the field, the players attended a Meet the Players cocktail party on Tuesday, followed by a Welcome Players Party on Thursday. Awards Ceremonies were held after the matches on both Saturday and Sunday, and no one went home empty handed as all teams were awarded trophies.

By Gwen Rizzo
Photos by Kaylee Scherbinski