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Crab Orchard and Black Watch Win in Stanford U.S. Open Polo Championship

April 1, 2008

WELLINGTON, FL - Defending champion Crab Orchard of the North American Polo League won its opening round game 12-10 over Orchard Hill and Black Watch another NAPL team easily defeated Audi 14-10 today in the Stanford US Open Polo Championship at International Polo Club Palm Beach.

The Audi-Black Watch contest was very closely contested through the fourth
chukker as the teams ended the period deadlocked at eight. Audi had been
able to capitalize on the penalties of Black Watch throughout the game by scoring six of its 10 goals on penalty shots by Gonzalito Pieres. However, in the final two chukkers Black Watch struck six times, five from Matias MacDonough and one by brother Pablo, to open the game up while Audi was unable to counter from the field. Matias MacDonough finished the afternoon with nine of his teams 14 goals. Pieres scored eight in the losing effort.

Crab Orchard had a much more difficult time with a stubborn Orchard Hill. Both teams have been in the U.S. Open Finals before and Crab Orchard, who won last year, is looking to repeat. Following the halftime break Orchard Hill showed its defensive strength by holding the Crab Orchard scoring machines of Nachi Heguy and Adolfo Cambiaso scoreless while Steve Van Andel, Lucas Criado and Jeff Hall all scored to put the Hill squad up 8-5. It looked as if the Hill squad would hang on going into the final chukker as the Crab group was still two goals shy of regaining the lead. But, Heguy and Cambiaso went to work scoring four goals in the final chukker and Orchard Hill was only able to answer with one. Heguy finished the day with five for Crab Orchard and was matched by Orchard Hill's Jeff Hall.

Stanford U.S. Open Polo action will continue on Wednesday, April 2 when 2006 winner Las Monjitas plays underdog Lechuza Caracas at noon and 2005 champion White Birch faces Pony Express at 3:00 pm.

International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South in Wellington and hosts professional polo tournaments until the finals of the Stanford U.S. Open Polo Championship, Sunday, April 20. The premier game of the week is played at 3 PM every Sunday on the Stanford Field and Stadium. Information can be obtained by calling 561-204-5687 or the Polo Hotline for game updates at 561-282-5290. Web address, www.internationalpoloclub.com or www.northamericanpololeague.com

BLACK WATCH 4-2-0-2-4-2=14 (4 penalty goals) Matias MacDonough 9
AUDI 1-3-2-2-1-1=10 (6 penalty goals) Gonzalito Pieres 8

CRAB ORCHARD 1-0-4-0-3-4=12 (3 penalty goals) Nachi Heguy 5
ORCHARD HILL 1-3-1-3-1-1=10 (4 penalty goals) Jeff Hall 5

Click Here for the updated schedule, scores and rosters of the Stanford U.S. Open Polo Championship.