Audi wins, takes 3-1 record into
US Open quarterfinals

By Alex Webbe

A balanced Audi attack led them to an 11-7 victory over winless La Ensenada
Wednesday morning in the 2012 Nespresso US Open competition at the International
Polo Club in Wellington. The triumph gives Audi a 3-1 record as the teams approach
next Sundday’s quarterfinals.

Lucas James scored the first goal of the morning contest less than a minute into
play with a goal from the field for La Ensenada, but that would be the last lead the
Argentinian team would enjoy. Ten-goaler Gonzalito Pieres converted consecutive
penalty shots and Marc Ganzi gave Audi the 3-1 lead with his first goal of the game with
47 seconds in the chukker.

After runs up and down the field I n the second chukker, James made good on a 40-
yard penalty shot to cut the Audi lead to a single goal, 3-2. Gonzalito Pieres scored
his first goal from the field, as the Audi lead returned to two goals, 4-2. Juan Garcia
Grossi gave La Ensenada one more goal in the final 12 seconds of the period to trail by
a single goal, 4-3.

La Ensenada might have had difficulty registering a win in Open play, but they were
no push overs. Drive after drive was ably turned aside by the Audi attack as they took
advantage of field position and well-executed teamplay. Jeff Hall opened the third
period with a goal from the field followed by another goal from Ganzi, 6-3. La Ensenada
team captain Ernesto Gutierrez got on the scoreboard with a goal, but Nico Pieres
closed out the scoring with a tally as Audi took a dominant halftime 7-4 lead.

Hard-riding and well placed passes to streaking teammates began to take its toll on La
Ensenada as a goal from Nico Pieres had Audi stretching their lead to four goals, 8-4.
James converted a penalty shot for a goal and Grossi scored his second goal of the day
as La Ensenada continued to trail, 8-6.

Ganzi scored his third goal of the game about midway through the fifth chukker, and
Hall added another with 1:24 left in the period. A silent La Ensenada attack was looking
at a 10-4 deficit going into the final chukker of play.

The Audi defense tightened in the final chukker, and there was less than three minutes
to play when Matias Magrini managed to slip the ball through the Audi defense for a
goal, 10-7, but the mini-rally would stall. Ganzi scored the final goal of the match for
the 11-7 win and a top spot in Sunday’s Nespresso US Open quarterfinals with a 3-1

record.

Ganzi led all scoring with four goals. Gonzalito Pieres scored three times and
teammates Nico Pieres and Hall added two goals apiece.

James set the pace for La Ensenada with three goals. Grossi scored twice. Gutierrez
and Magrini scored single goals in the loss.