By Alex Webbe

Wins by Valiente and Lechuza Friday afternoon set the pairings for the semifinals of the 2011   C. V. Whitney Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington.

A cautious opening chukker had Valiente ahead 1-0 on a goal from Argentine 8-goaler Paul Pieres as Audi attempted to make it two in a row and move into semifinals of the 2011 C. V. Whitney Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington.

Second period action had Lechuza scoring three unanswered goals (Bob Jornayvaz, Polito Pieres and Miguel Astrada) to take a healthy 4-0 lead over Audi.

Ten-goaler Gonzalito Pieres (cousin of Polito Pieres) finally got Audi on the scoreboard in the third.  Younger brother Nico Pieres added a goal for Audi, but Valiente answered back.  A penalty goal from Miguel Astrada and a second goal from Polito Pieres kept Valiente in front, 6-2.

“We were a little concerned going into the game,” he added, “Audi had already played a game, but after the first chukker, we got it going.”

Audi finally got on the scoreboard in the third with goals from Nico Pieres and brother Gonzalito Pieres, but Valiente wasn’t silently watching.  Paul Pieres scored his third goal of the game and Miguel Astrada converted a penalty shot for a goal.  The first half ended with Valiente ahead, 6-2.

Fourth chukker goals from Jornayvaz, Miguel Astrada and his brother Nacho Astrada increased the Valiente lead to seven goals, 9-2, as Audi was held scoreless for the third time in the game.

Miguel Astrada’s fourth goal of the game made it 10-2, as Audi struggled to find its offense.  A pair of goals from Gonzalito Pieres and a single goal from Brazilian 8-goaler Rodrigo Andrade looked like the start of an Audi rally until a short penalty shot was missed.

Gonzalito Pieres added two more goals in the sixth, and Andrade converted a penalty shot for a goal, but single goals from Miguel and Nacho Astrada were too much to overcome.  Valiente went on to defeat Audi 12-8 and earn a berth in next Wednesday’s tournament semifinals against Bendabout.

LECHUZA 10, PONY EXPRESS 9

The battle of the day took place between Lechuza and Pony Express on the private polo fields of Victor Vargas.  Led by 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero and Sapo Caset, the Lechuza team outlasted a resolute Pony Express foursome for a hard-fought 10-9 win in Whitney Cup play.  The victory lifted Lechuza into Wednesday’s second semifinal match against the Hawks.

Pony Express took an early 2-0 early, on a pair of goals from Bautista Heguy, but Vargas and Juan Martin Nero responded with single goals to knot it up at 2-2.

Lechuza took the lead in the second on goals from Sapo Caset and Nero, holding Pony Express to a single goal from Santiago Chavanne.

Heguy converted a 40-yard penalty to tie it and Pony Express captain Bob Daniels scored the go-ahead goal in the third chukker.  Nero responded with another goal that had the teams locked up at 5-5 at the end of the first half.

The two teams exchanged a pair of goals in the fourth chukker, with Caset and Heguy each accounting for a couple for a 7-7 tie, and single goals in the fifth by Lechuza’s Nero and Pony Express 8-goaler Juan Garcia Grossi.  All even at eight goals apiece, Lechuza and Pony Express took the field for the final chukker of play.

Caset scored first followed by a goal from the field from Nero, and Lechuza took a two goal, 10-8 lead.  Heguy returned the favor, scoring his sixth goal of the game to bring Pony Express to within a goal, but time ran out before they could even it up again.

“The horses went well today,” Polito Pieres said, “we’re feeling pretty good about our chances next week.”