Audi Downs White Birch in C. V. Cup
By Alex Webbe
White Birch took an early 3-2 lead after the opening chukker of play, but Audi came back to score five goals in the next two chukkers while holding White Birch to two penalty goals and a goal from the field. Audi left the field with a 7-6 lead and a newfound confidence against a tough competitor.
Two fourth chukker goals from Gonzalito Pieres and a single goal from brother Facundo Pieres were countered by a single scoring effort from White Birch’s Pancho Bensadon. Audi stretched its lead to three goals, 10-7 as the period ended.
Audi’s defense stiffened in the fifth chukker. Freddie Mannix’s second goal of the game gave Audi an 11-7 edge until Jeff Blake’s penalty shot cut the lead back to three goals, 11-8.
“We knew that they would make another run,†said Audi field captain Marc Ganzi, and they did.â€
White Birch continued to put the pressure on in the final chukker but Audi was content to ride it out. Bensadon added a goal on a penalty shot and another from the field as the final horn sounded, but the win belonged to Audi, 11-10.
“I thought we had the game in hand in the fourth chukker,†said game MVP Facundo Pieres. And although he was mounted on the game’s Best Playing Pony, Once Catorce, for that chukker, he credited the play of his teammates for taking control of the game.
The victory will have Audi playing untested Zacara in Wednesday’s 1pm semifinals