Thu 16th Apr 2015 Stage set for Pieres-Cambiaso Final Orchard Hill will face Valiente for 2015 US Open The Semi Finals for the 2015 US Open were held at International Polo Club Palm Beach yesterday with Orchard Hill and Valiente coming out on top.  The first match between Gillian Johnston’s Coca-Cola and Orchard Hill saw the red-shirted Sugar Erskine notch up the first goal, scoring after a pass from his patron nearly half-way through the opening chukka. This was followed up by field goal by Orchard Hill’s Polito Pieres, closely seconded by a 30-yard converted penalty by his cousin, Facundo. Going into the second with a 2-1 lead, Orchard Hill remained on the attack to score again before aggressive play from Coca-Cola saw Stirling and Arellano level the score. A quick goal from Facundo before the bell rang, meant Orchard Hill edged again into the lead. The start of the third, and 10 goaler, Facu once again pounced on the ball and despite a penalty conversion by Arellano for Coca-Cola, Gold Cup Finalists, Orchard Hill left the pitch at half-time with the scoreboard reading 5-4.  The fourth and fifth chukkas saw just a single goal bought to the Coca-Cola table whilst the Pieres duo continued to lead their team into a wider and wider lead. Going into the sixth, Orchard Hill controlled the match with an 11-5 scoreline. Two deliberate and decisive penalty conversions from a calm and collected Arellano gave fizz to Coca-Cola’s campaign to cut their opposition’s lead to four goals, but it was short-lived. Ferrario carried the ball half the length of the pitch to secure Orchard Hill’s twelfth goal and despite retaliation once again from Arellano, Steve Van Andel’s team secured their place in Sunday’s Final with a score of 12-8.  The second match was a hard fought for battle between an injury-prone Valiente and Gold Cup winners, Audi. From the first throw-in, it was evident that Valiente – US Open Finalists, not winners in 2013 and 2014 – and a well-drilled Audi side were focused on the ultimate prize. By the end of the first chukka, Marc Ganzi’s Audi raced into the lead with one field goal and two penalties from Gonzalito Pieres to a goal a piece from Valiente’s Alejo Taranco and Cambiaso. Again in the second, Audi powered forward taking the scores to 6-2 before Cambiaso and his teammates returned to the fray, but it didn’t take long for them to close the gap to 6-5. Spectators hoping for a flurry of goals before half-time were left disappointed as both team’s defence locked down, with only Cambiaso finding the posts after an Audi foul and leveling the scores to 6-all.  The beginning of the second half was much the same with only one goal apiece in the fourth and Gonzalito Pieres finally scoring nearly at the end of the fifth. A 60-yard penalty ably converted by Cambiaso was quickly followed by a field goal from the 10 goal Argentine which took them into a narrow one-goal lead, 9-8. Pieres found the posts to tie the game in the sixth, before Cambiaso took the score to 10-9 with his fourth penalty conversion of the match. Before the final bell rang, Pieres executed his eighth goal of the game, leveling the scores at 10-all and forcing the match into overtime. After a brief pause, the teams returned to the pitch for sudden death and play got underway. Sadly, after a gladiatorial-style game, a penalty challenge and fouls were the deciding factors and, despite Audi’s significant efforts, Alejo Taranca spirited the ball down field to claim victory for Valiente, 11-10.  Orchard Hill will face Valiente in the Final for the 2015 US Open on Sunday 19 April.  Orchard Hill                           Coca-Cola Steve Van Andel  0                Gillian Johnston  2 Ezequiel Ferrario   7              Pelon Stirling  10 Polito Pieres   9                       Julio Arellano  8 Facundo Pieres  10               Sugar Erskine  6 Orchard Hill defeated Coca-Cola 12-8   Valiente                                       Audi Bob Jornayvaz    2                    Marc Ganzi  1 Alejo Taranco      6                   Rodrigo Andrade  9 Guillermo Terrera  8                Gonzalito Pieres   9 Adolfo Cambiaso 10               Freddie Mannix   6 Valiente defeated Audi in OT 11-10   Photograph: The Orchard Hill team is through to the Final of The US Open. By Liz Lamont Images/ Phelps Media Group.

Other top stories Tue 23rd Apr 2024 Second 2024 WPL Win for Park Place The WPL Triple Crown of Polo Mon 22nd Apr 2024 La Dolfina Win US Open Polo Championship 10-7 win against Valiente in Final Fri 19th Apr 2024 La Dolfina & Valiente Reach US Open Final Cambiasos will do battle once again Wed 17th Apr 2024 Polo Times April Issue Out Now This issue packed with insights, reports & features Mon 15th Apr 2024 US Open Polo Championship Semi Finalists Last spot being decided today Thu 11th Apr 2024 Synergy Clothing Lift Thai Autumn Cup Narrow 8-7 win in Final Wed 10th Apr 2024 Free Pony Changes During Extreme Heat UK Rule Change Tue 9th Apr 2024 2024 English High Goal Teams 22 teams will take part in this season Mon 8th Apr 2024 US Open Polo Championship Update Today’s action between Dutta Corp vs Valiente Wed 3rd Apr 2024 Milly Hine & Mia Cambiaso Reach 9 Goals in US U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship winner & finalist recognised Tue 2nd Apr 2024 WPL Palm Beach Open Finalists Travieso vs Casablanca on Sunday 7 April Mon 1st Apr 2024 US Open Polo Championship Sunday Results Wins for La Dolfina & Dutta Corp Tue 26th Mar 2024 The U.S. Open Polo Championship Fixture & Teams Tournament begins on Wednesday 27 March See all news in: April 2024March 2024February 2024January 2024December 2023November 2023October 2023September 2023August 2023July 2023June 2023May 2023April 2023March 2023February 2023January 2023December 2022November 2022October 2022September 2022August 2022July 2022June 2022May 2022April 2022March 2022February 2022January 2022December 2021November 2021October 2021September 2021August 2021July 2021June 2021May 2021April 2021March 2021February 2021January 2021December 2020November 2020October 2020September 2020August 2020July 2020June 2020May 2020April 2020March 2020February 2020January 2020December 2019November 2019October 2019September 2019August 2019July 2019June 2019May 2019April 2019March 2019February 2019January 2019December 2018November 2018October 2018September 2018August 2018July 2018June 2018May 2018April 2018March 2018February 2018January 2018December 2017November 2017October 2017September 2017August 2017July 2017June 2017May 2017April 2017March 2017February 2017January 2017December 2016November 2016October 2016September 2016August 2016July 2016June 2016May 2016April 2016March 2016February 2016January 2016December 2015November 2015October 2015September 2015August 2015July 2015June 2015May 2015April 2015March 2015February 2015January 2015December 2014November 2014October 2014September 2014August 2014July 2014June 2014May 2014April 2014March 2014February 2014January 2014December 2013November 2013October 2013September 2013August 2013July 2013June 2013May 2013April 2013March 2013February 2013January 2013December 2012November 2012October 2012September 2012August 2012July 2012June 2012May 2012April 2012March 2012February 2012January 2012December 2011November 2011October 2011September 2011August 2011July 2011June 2011May 2011April 2011March 2011February 2011January 2011December 2010November 2010October 2010September 2010August 2010July 2010June 2010May 2010April 2010March 2010February 2010January 2010December 2009November 2009October 2009September 2009August 2009July 2009June 2009May 2009April 2009March 2009February 2009January 2009December 2008November 2008October 2008September 2008August 2008July 2008June 2008May 2008April 2008March 2008

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