Audi downs Valiente II, 12-11

By Alex Webbe

 

Audi (2-1) scored its second win of the 2012 Nespresso US Open Championship
Thursday morning at the International Polo Club in Wellington with a 12-11 win over
Valiente II (1-1), as second round play got underway.

There was a slow start to a Valiente II team that took the field without 10-goal superstar
Adolfo Cambiaso, and with Argentine 9-goaler Santiago Chavanne stepping into the
lineup, it was a bit choppy in the opening chukker as the Valiente team adjusted to one
another. Chavanne scored the first goal of the game with 2:31 left on the clock in the
first chukker for a 1-0 lead. Audi responded with a goal from the field from Gonzalito
Pieres in the last 22 seconds for a 1-1 tie.

The pace picked up in the second chukker as Audi got its engine running, but a Valiente
II foul resulted in a crash to the ground at speed by Nico Pieres and mount. The horse
was fine, but Nico Pieres was forced to leave the field and Nic Roldan was brought in
to replace him. Gonzalito Pieres converted the 30-yard penalty shot that was awarded
to the Audi team for a 2-1 score. Chavanne converted a penalty shot for a single
goal for Valiente II. With less than thirty seconds on the clock, Gonzalito Pieres took
a backhand pass from Roldan at midfield and drove down the field to score as time
expired. Audi led, 3-2.

Audi and Valiente II exchanged goals in the third. Jeff Hall scored a goal from the field
and Gonzalito Pieres added another penalty goal. Valiente II answered back with single
goals from Pelon Stirling and Chavanne. At the end of the first half, Audi held a narrow
5-4 lead.

Two more goals from Gonzalito Pieres in the second half were countered by a single
goal from Stirling. Audi extended their lead to two goals, 7-5.

Roldan and Gonzalito Pieres scored single goals in the fifth, but the Valiente II lineup
started to produce. Stirling scored a goal from the field and a penalty, Robert Jornayvaz
scored back to back goals from the field as Valiente II knotted it up at 9-9.

Jornayvaz scored the opening goal of the sixth chukker to give Valiente II its first
lead since the opening chukker, 10-9. Gonzalito Pieres converted a penalty shot two
minutes into the period to deadlock it at 10-10. Roldan had Audi back on top with a goal
from the field with Jornayvaz evening up the score at 11-11 with his fourth goal of the
day. Gonzalito Pieres would score the final goal of the day with 1:37 on the clock as
Audi celebrated their first Open victory.

Gonzalito Pieres led all scoring with nine goals (four on penalty shots) Roldan added
two goals and Hall scored once in the win.

Jornayvaz and Stirling led the Valiente II attack with four goals apiece. Chavanne was
credited with three goals in a losing effort.