Pretty tied up: Polo Club closes season on stalemate, again

‘ANINI — A penalty shot against an undefended goal could have spelled victory for Polynesia Cafe Sunday.

But the shot missed by inches. The game — and Kaua‘i Polo Club season — ended in a 4-4 tie.

Polynesia Cafe and Island Hardware also battled to a 4-4 stalemate Sept. 17, setting the stage for the season-ending rematch. Both sponsors and teams agreed to the rematch after the first tie.

Polynesia jumped to an early lead on a first-chukker goal by Carlos Elzaurdia, who took a long pass from Diego Bayugar.

Bayugar later utilized a backhand to steal the ball from Island Hardware’s Scott Sims. Kamalu Sheldon then took a pass for Polynesia and slipped the ball to Elzaurdia for his second goal of the day.

Sims avenged the takeaway on the bowl in to put Island Hardware on the board.

Bayugar increased Polynesia’s lead on a goal following the half-time divot stomp, but Ronnie Tongg answered with a goal for Island Hardware to cut the lead to 3-2 at chukker’s end.

Sims tied the contest for Island Hardware early in the final chukker, but Sheldon pulled Polynesia back in front with his first goal of the game.

The see-saw continued as Tongg slapped the ball in the goal during a scrum near the goal mouth to deadlock the contest.

With the clock ticking down, both teams battled hard for a last surge, resulting in several fouls being called by umpire Stuart Mackenzie. The final foul resulted in Polynesia’s penalty shot at an open goal from about 30 yards out and at an angle.

Following the contest, Kaua‘i Polo Club’s social member Bill Clifford acknowledged not only the season’s sponsors, but the grooms, announcer Inger Pa and the numerous workers and volunteers who contributed to the overall success of the season.