Orchard Hill remains undefeated at 2-0; Audi improves to 1-1 in US Open play
3pm match will feature Orchard Hill (Facundo Pieres, Julian de Lusarreta, Juan Martin Nero and Steve Van Andel) against Lucchese (John Muse, Nico Pieres, Magoo Laprida and Sapo Caset).
Play continues in the 2016 United States Open Championship on Sunday, April 10th at the International Polo Club with a 10am contest between
Audi (Marc Ganzi, Rodrigo Andrade, Gonzalito Pieres and Freddie Mannix) came out on top of a morning contest with Flexjet (Melissa Ganzi, Agustin Merlos, Sebastian Merlos and Nic Roldan), 11-7, in a game was tightly played in the opening three chukkers.
Audi took control of the opening chukker with team captain Marc Ganzi putting the first goal on the scoreboard in the opening 20 seconds of play, 1-0. Gonzalito Pieres extended the Audi lead to two goals, 2-0, on a 40-yard penalty conversion at the 5:50 mark. Flexjet fought back but the pace and teamwork of the Audi team was too much for them in the opening period. Pieres added a final goal to the Audi total to end the chukker in front, 3-0.
A determined Flexjet team returned to the field in the second chukker focused and ready to play. Early fouls by Audi sent Agustin Merlos to the penalty line where he converted from the 30 and 40-yard lines, cutting the Audi lead to a single goal, 3-2. Expert stick-work by Agustin Merlos and cutout defense prevailed for Flexjet as the period wore on. Agustin Merlos closed out the chukker with his third goal of the game, leveling the score at 3-3.
Sebastian Merlos scored the first goal of the third period midway through the chukker, giving Flexjet their first lead of the game, 4-3. Marc Ganzi countered with a tying goal a minute later and Pieres ended the chukker with a 30-yard penalty goal that gave Audi the 5-4 halftime lead.
An aggressive Audi attack dominated the field as the second half got underway. Brazilian 9-goaler Rodrigo Andrade scored his first goal of the day in the opening minute of the fourth chukker, 6-4, followed by a goal from Marc Ganzi, 7-4. Andrade added another goal with 4:53 left in the chukker and Pieres scored on a 40-yard penalty sot to close out the chukker with Audi leading by five goals, 9-4.
Pieres and Agustin Merlos traded penalty goals to open the fifth chukker. Pieres scored from the 60-yard line while Agustin Merlos converted a shot from 30-yards out, 10-5. Pieres scored his sixth goal of the match from the field, 11-5, with Agustin Merlos fighting to bet Flexjet back into the hunt with consecutive goals (one on a 60-ayrd penalty shot) that ended the fifth chukker with Audi on top, 11-7.
The final chukker of the game was an exercise in futility for the Flexjet lineup as Audi controlled the ball for much of the period. Shots on goal were far and few between as Audi ran out the clock for the 11-7 win.
Pieres led the field in scoring with six goals (five on penalty conversions). Marc Ganzi added three goals and Andrade scored twice for the win. Agustin Merlos scored four of his team-high five goals on penalty shots with older brother Sebastian Merlos adding two goals from the field in a losing effort.
The victory boosts the Audi record to 1-1, while Flexjet remains winless as 0-2..
"Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly" 
Rabii Benadada
