2012 FALL-Grand Champions-21

polo, polo tournament, polo players, polo usa

Audi drives past Piaget in USPA North
America Cup finals

By Alex Webbe

It wasn’t the first time that Marc Ganzi and his wife Melissa Ganzi would meet in high-
goal competition as they led their teams into Sunday afternoon’s finals of the 2012
USPA North America Cup at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, but it would
be a memorable one with Audi driving off with a narrow 6-5 victory.

Marc Ganzi’s Audi team (Marc Ganzi, Carlitos Gracida, Nic Roldan and Carlos Gracida)
would take the early lead with Marc Ganzi scoring a goal in the open seconds of play.
Both defenses established their presence for the balance of the first chukker for a 1-0
Audi advantage.

Melissa Ganzi’s Piaget foursome (Melissa Ganzi, Jeff Hall, Juan Bollini and Juan
Badiola) finally got on the scoreboard in the second period on a penalty conversion from
Jeff Hall. Audi picked up an additional two goals in the second for a two goal, 3-1, lead.

Audi’s defense shut out Piaget again in the third period and added another Roldan goal
to move ahead, 4-1 at the end of the first half.

Roldan scored his third consecutive goal of the game in the fourth chukker. The Piaget
offense was unable to score again as Audi rode off to a 5-1 lead after four chukkers.

Juan Badiola scored a goal from the field for Piaget’s first score since the second
period. Audi was shut out for the first time all afternoon, but continued to lead, 5-2.

Piaget continued to press the attack, cashing in on Audi penalties. Three consecutive
penalty conversions from Jeff Hall tied it up in the sixth, 5-5, but Audi would strike back.
A Piaget penalty sent Marc Ganzi to the foul line where he converted the shot for the
winning goal in the 6-5 game.

Audi’s Carlitos Gracida was named MVP while Jeff Hall’s seven-year-old Bay
Thoroughbred mare, Smooth, was honored as Best Playing Pony.