March 29, 2002

Polo Teams to Host Maryland, Boston

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Both the men’s and women’s polo teams will play home games this weekend in a final preparation for next week’s National Championships in Ft. Worth, Texas. Tonight, the lady riders will host Maryland, while the men will entertain Boston tomorrow night.

The Eastern Region Champion women’s team will be shorthanded tonight, as junior All-East selection Taylor McLean will sit out following a back injury sustained during the Eastern Regional final against UVA two weeks ago. While she is expected to play when the Red begins its title defense next Thursday against Texas A&M, head coach David Eldredge ’81 will play it safely and give McLean at least the first half of the game off.

“We’re being conservative,” he said. “I’m obviously very concerned because [McLean is] a key component of the team.”

The starting lineup will be composed of sophomore Marisa Bianchi at the one, senior All-East player Melissa Riggs at the two, and classmate Liz Antczak back. Under normal circumstances, Antczak and Bianchi rotate in a starting lineup that regularly features last season’s All-Americans Riggs and McLean.

Aside from the developing situation regarding McLean’s health, Cornell expects a tough, close game from a Maryland squad that will be critical preparation for the National Championships.

Tomorrow, a much improved men’s squad will host Boston in what is expected to be another close, tight match. The Red is coming off a stellar performance at Easterns in which it fell to UVA in the title game. The visitors are a proven, experienced team that will make the Red work for everything.

“They’re just what I wanted to come into this,” commented Eldredge.

Starting lineup of sophomore All-East selection Senter Johnson, classmate Jeff Markle and senior captain Javier Alcover seem ready for Nationals, where they will face off against Colorado State on Monday. During practice this week, they showed focus and determination.

Eldredge lauded, “I’ve been really happy with the boys’ play.”

Archived article by Owen Bochner