Statehood Day Women's Polo: Argentina see off IPA with crushing 13-2 victory, USA hammer Egypt 8-1

By Our Sports Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 18 : Argentina will lock horns with Great Britain for the final ticket from Pool A in the 5th Manipur Statehood Day Women's Polo Tournament on Sunday (Jan 19) as the South American team eased to a 13-2 win against IPA today in the second Pool A league match at Mapal Kangjeibung today. The day also saw Egypt bow out of the contest from Pool B after suffering a 8-1 defeat against USA.
In the second Pool A league match of the tournament, Argentina ran riot from the onset and thoroughly outpaced Indian Polo Association (IPA), which suffered an embarrassing 0-17 loss to Great Britain yesterday, en route to their 13-2 win today.
Argentina had a brilliant start and led the first chukker 4-0 with Catalina Ayerza scoring thrice including the opener and Esperanza Uranga adding the third goal before Celina Fernandez Ocampo wreaked havoc to pump in 6 goals alone in the following chukkers.
The second chukker saw Celina Fernandez Ocampo grab her first three goals while Sanya Suhag pulled back a goal for IPA to make the scoreline read 7-1 till halfway. Monica Saxena added another for IPA which also proved to be the last goal for the Indian side within 15 seconds into the third chukker but Jazmin Dupont and Clara Heguy scored a goal each to keep the scoreboard ticking for Argentina.
Celina Fernandez Ocampo rose yet again in the last chukker to chip in her remaining three goals while Clara Heguy struck once to help Argentina finish the game 13-2.
Meanwhile in the Pool B league match, USA opened up their winning account with a comfortable  8-1 win over Egypt and will take on Manipur (India-B) tomorrow in a contest for Pool A leaders, which will reach the final.
Pamela Flanegan took centre stage in this one sided encounter as she connected to four goals while Carolyn Stimmel struck twice, both in the third chukker to ensure USA a huge 8-1 win.
The first chukker went lull as neither team made the most of the chances but 5 uninterrupted goals poured in the second chukker, 4 by Pamela Flanegan including the opener and another by Bridget Sibson, to make it 5-0 past the hapless Egypt team.
The third chukker saw Alyson Poor clinch a goal to make it 6-0 before Carolyn Stimmel chipped in twice to earn USA a 8-0 lead.
The last chukker witnessed USA sit back with the comfortable lead and Egypt team who were luckless grab a consolation goal in the 5th minute of the penultimate chukker through Hannah Badr and made it 1-8 at the end.