CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — The Cornell men's polo team fell to the Texas A&M polo team at the Virginia Fall Polo Invitational with a score of 14-4 moving its record to 1-1. 

Junior Benito Jaramillo Samper led the way for the Big Red scoring three of the four goals the team notched in the game. The other Cornell goal came from freshman Max Sponer.

"Not quite the showing we would have liked on the first game," said Peter B. Orthwein `68 Head Coach of Polo Anthony Condo. "But it is early in the season for our guys. 

For Cornell, the team is young this season and still finding its footing.

"As we are introducing two freshman players in Max Sponer and Dylan Tung, I expect an adjustment period as they adapt to the speed of the collegiate game," said Condo.

For standout freshman Sponer, it isn't just the speed that he has to adjust to.

"In Max's case, he's also adjusting to a new set of rules and interpretations relative to the arena game over in the UK, " said Condo. 

In the first chucker of action the Big Red was able to keep the game close with a score of 2-1. They were then able to outscore Texas A&M in the second chucker and make the game 4-3. After the break, the Big Red began to struggle as it was outscored by Texas A&M 3-1 in the third chucker and  7-0 in the fourth to make the final score 14-4 in favor of Texas A&M giving Cornell its first loss of the season.  

The Big Red will look to continue to learn and grow as they look towards the spring season of play.

"We'll get there and the team will be prepared for the postseason this spring," said Condo, "as we do our best to play at the Division I level when the time comes." 

The Big Red will play in the consolation game of the UVA Fall Polo tournament on Saturday, Oct. 26 at noon.