ITHACA, N.Y. – The Cornell men’s polo team’s Taylor Palacios scored the first three goals of the game, building an early lead that paved the way for a Big Red victory, as Cornell defeated Old Chatham, 16-8, on Saturday, Oct. 9 at the Oxley Equestrian Center in Ithaca, N.Y.
After scoring five goals in his first collegiate chukker against Skidmore, Palacios picked up right where he left off against Old Chatham, helping Cornell build a 5-1 lead after the first. It was Palacios that paced the Big Red once again in the second chukker, adding three more goals to help create a 9-3 advantage for Cornell at the half. Pablo Herrera also added a pair of first-half goals for the Big Red.
It was Patricio Fraga-Errecart’s turn in the third chukker, as the junior scored three of Cornell’s six goals, helping to extend its lead to 15-5 at the end of the third. Herrera got in on the action as well, adding two goals, while Palacios scored his game-high seventh of the contest.
The Big Red was outscored by Old Chatham in the fourth chukker, but it didn’t matter, as Cornell went on to claim the 16-8 victory. In addition to Palacios’ career-high seven goals, Herrera and Fraga-Errecart each finished the contest with four goals apiece.
Santiago Valenzuela and Nick Paciorek also made appearances for the Big Red, with the contest marking Valenzuela’s collegiate debut.
With the win, Cornell has opened the season with back-to-back victories, improving to 2-0.