Marc Ganzi of Audi. Photo by Gregory Ratner - http://ratnersportsphotography.com
The Audi (4-0) polo team scored a convincing 16-12 win over previously unbeaten Orchard Hill (2-1) to finish the initial rounds of competition in the 2010 Arcalux United States Open Championship Wednesday morning at the International Polo Club in Wellington with a perfect 4-0 record. Orchard Hill fell to 2-1 with the loss and is in a “must win” position when it faces Crab Orchard (1-1) on Saturday.
It was Audi 10-goaler Facundo Pieres who scored the first five goals of the game while Orchard Hill struggled to put together any kind of offense. Gonzalo Pieres made it 6-0, and two more goals from brother Facundo had Audi on top, 8-0.
With 2:96 left in the second chukker, Pablo Macdonough finally got Orchard Hill on the scoreboard, and Orchard Hill came alive. A goal from Lucas Criado and three more from Pablo MacDonough cut the lead to 8-5, with Orchard Hill fighting to get back into a game dominated by Facundo Pieres.
Single goals from Criado and MacDonough were countered by a pair of goals from Facundo Pieres, and the first half ended with Audi holding on to a 10-7 lead.
Goals from Audi team captain Marc Ganzi and Gonzalo Pieres were the only scores of the fourth period as the lead was extended to five goals, 11-7.
The teams traded goals in the fifth chukker with Gonzalo and Facundo Pieres each getting a goal while Orchard Hill countered with penalty conversions from MacDonough and Hector Galindo. Audi continued to lead, 14-9.
Facundo Pieres opened the scoring in the final chukker with a goal from the field before MacDonough scored a pair for Orchard Hill. Facundo Pieres made it a five goal lead once again with his twelfth goal of the game, 16-11, before MacDonough ended the scoring with another goal from the field for the 16-12 Audi win.
Facundo put on a demonstration in scoring as he converted a dozen shots for goals in the match. Gonzalo Pieres scored three times and Ganzi added a single goal in the win.
CRAB ORCHARD 15, PIAGET 13
Julio Arellano led the attack, scoring seven times as Crab Orchard (1-1) beat Piaget (0-3) Wednesday afternoon in continued US Open play in a 15-13 game that was much closer than most had anticipated,
Piaget took an early lead, 3-1, on a pair of goals from Nic Roldan and a nicely executed goal from the field from team captain, Melissa Ganzi. Adolfo Cambiaso scored the only goal of the opening chukker for Crab Orchard.
Crab Orchard rebounded in the second period with three goals from Julio Arellano and a single goal from Cambiaso. Roldan scored the final goal of the chukker, but Crab Orchard rode off with a narrow 5-4 edge.
Piaget tied it and then took a brief 6-5 lead on two penalty goals from Roldan. Arellano tied it up when Piaget 10-goaler Lolo Castagnola had Piaget back on top, 7-6, but that would be the last lead that they would enjoy. Three straight goals from Cambiaso had Crab Orchard ahead 9-7 to end the first half. Cambiaso and Arellano each scored a goal in the fourth period, but a pair of goals from Roldan kept Piaget in the thick of it, trailing 11-9 after four.
Crab Orchard scored four straight goals to open the fifth chukker to lead by six goals before a goal from Piaget’s Juan Bollini stopped the bleeding. Crab Orchard extended its lead to six goals, 15-10 as the period ended.
Piaget continued to press its attack, scoring three more goals in the final chukker, but Crab Orchard didn’t seem the least bit concerned. The final horn sounded with Crab Orchard capturing a hard-fought win over Piaget, 15-13.
US Open action continues on Thursday with an 11 am contest between Las Monjitas (1-0) and Valiente (1-0) followed by a 3 pm matchup of Lechuza and Bendabout/Wanderers (0-1).