Audi Wins C. V. Whitney Cup
By Alex Webbe
In one of the best games of the year, the Audi polo team rolled over a talented
Lechuza Caracas foursome 8-7 in the finals of the 2009 C. V. Whitney Cup at the International Polo club in
With action taking place at a gallop up and down the middle of the field, Marc Ganzi (1) scored first for Audi before the Lechuza defense went to work. Shutting down one offensive run after another, Lechuza keep Audi off of the scoreboard for the balance of the period while managing to tie it up on a goal from the field from Sapo Caset (8).
Facundo Pieres (10) scored his first goal of the game to open the second chukker but was quickly answered by 10-goaler Juan Martin Nero, 2-2. Facundo Pieres converted a penalty shot and added another goal from the field for a 4-2 edge. Lechuza continued to press its attack, resulting in a penalty by Audi. Caset converted the penalty shot and the teams left the field with Audi in front 4-3.
The third chukker provided another group of cavalry charges from one end to the other, but little scoring. Nero picked the ball off of the goal line and tapped t in to even the score at 4-4. Moments later an Audi player was fouled and Facundo Pieres converted it for the halftime score of 5-4, Audi.
The defenses tightened on both ends of the ball in the fourth period. The assaults on goal continued, but scoring opportunities were repulsed by Lechuza back Nicolas Espain and teammates. A foul in front of its own goal moth gave Audi a shot at goal from just yards out. Facundo nailed it, and Audi left the field with a 6-4 lead.
A recharged Lechuza team took the field in the fifth chukker. Nero scored the first goal of the period followed by another goal from Caset. The score was tied at 6-6 as the chukker ended.
With all of the marbles on the table for the final chukker, Audi’s Ganzi broke loose once again to score and give Audi the lead on a well-played score.
Lechuza immediately attempted to gather the ball in and try to mount an attack, but Audi got the better of them. Ganzi added a tie-breaking goal and teammate Facundo Pieres tried to put the icing on the game with a goal from the field. Audi led 8-6 with time running out.
Lechuza fought back, and after missing a penalty shot, finally managed to score on a goal from Caset.
The teams returned to the center of the field for the ensuing throw-in to start play. The ball was initially controlled by Audi and then stolen by Lechuza. A race toward the Audi goal was highlighted by a pass to team captain Victor Vargas (1), who made an instant run at the goal. With 17 seconds on the clock and Vargas in control of the ball, it took a bad bounce and bounced off of his pony and over the end line to end the game.
“Audi is a very tough team,†said Vargas, “and if you don’t play 100% on every play you can lose.â€
Marc Ganzi was named MVP while Vargas’s horse Julieta, played by Nero, received Best Playing Pony honors.
“It’s my home club in my home town,†said Ganzi and we want the cup to stay here. We didn’t want it to go to Caracas.â€
Facundo Pieres led all scoring with six goals. Ganzi scored twice in the win.
Caset led Lechuza Caracas with four goals while teammate Nero scored three times.