WELLINGTON, FL - It was a frustrating day for Audi in its 12-9 loss to Valiente in the 109th Maserati U.S. Open in front of a packed house at International Polo Club Palm Beach.

Playing against Valiente 10-goalers Adolfo Cambiaso and Pelon Stirling, Audi fell behind early and kept fighting back.

Audi, relentless in its defensive attack led by Jeff Hall, tied the game in the third (3-3) and fifth chukkers (8-8) and outscored Valiente in the fourth and fifth chukkers.

When Audi team captain Marc Ganzi re-injured his broken thrumb after getting hooked hard by Cambiaso,16-year-old Wellington High School senior Juancito Bollini came in at the 4:25 mark of the fifth chukker, the team regrouped and maintained its composure.

Gonzalito Pieres came up with an incredible goal late in the fifth chukker to tie the game at 8-8. Pieres picked up a pass from Nico Pieres, slid in front of his defenders and leaned out of his saddle for a incredibly-angled cut shot. But with 43 seconds left, Striling broke away downfield to put Valiente back in the lead, 9-8.

Cambiaso then went to work early in the sixth chukker first stealing the ball from Nico Pieres and then intercepting a Bollini back shot to loft a shot in goal for a 10-8 lead.

Valiente 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso hooks Audi team captain Marc Ganzi who re-injured his broken thumb on his mallet hand and was forced to leave the game in the fifth chukker.

Audi came back with a penalty two goal from Nico Pieres to cut the Valiente lead to 10-9, but Cambiaso again came up with a steal and a goal with 3:58 for an 11-9 advantage. Gonzalito Pieres fouled and Cambiaso missed his third penalty shot of the game, but came right back to score from the field to put the game out of reach, 12-9, while taking out the goal post.

Valiente remains undefeated (2-0) in the 11-team tournament.

"They (Cambiaso, Stirling and Santi Torres) are all playing well," said Valiente team captain Bob Jornayvaz. "It's fun to watch. I have the best ticket in town. Audi is a good team with Gonzalito and Nico.

"I know it sounds trite, but we are trying to take it one game at a time," Jornayvaz said. "You really have to. If you start thinking ahead you're going to get yourself in trouble.

"It's harder than most people think to win the U.S. Open. I don't think people understand how hard it is to win and the variables. It's like Formula One car racing. There is no easy game."

Grand Champions Polo Club-based Audi dropped to 1-2 and plays ERG, 11-7 Thursday winners over Coca-Cola, on Sunday at 12 noon.

Nico Pieres led Audi scoring with six goals and Gonzalito Pieres had three goals.

For Valiente, Cambiaso scored six goals, Stirling had five goals and Torres added one.

Piaget, also based at Grand Champions Polo Club, will play Alegria at 4 p.m. on Friday at Isla Carroll East Field. Piaget will play without team captain Melissa Ganzi, still suffering from a groin pull sustained in last

Audi's 10-goaler Gonzalito Pieres takes the ball downfield as teammate and brother Nico Pieres tries to bump Adolfo Cambiaso of Valiente out of the play.

week's game. She will be replaced by Matias Sosa.

In this year's U.S. Open, there are three brackets. Audi is in bracket one with Coca-Cola, Zorzal, ERG and Valiente. Piaget is in bracket two with Faraway and Orchard Hill. The third bracket is Lechuza Caracas, Alegria and Zacara.

The U.S. Open Polo Championship, first played in 1904 at Van Courtland Park, celebrated 100 years in 2004. It is one of three major polo tournaments worldwide along with the British and Argentine Opens. It is also the third jewel of U.S. polo's 26-goal Triple Crown that includes the C.V. Whitney Cup and USPA Piaget Gold Cup.

For the first half of the 20th century the U.S. Open Polo Championship was hosted in the northeast, primarily at Meadowbrook Polo Club. In 1954, the U.S. Open moved to Oakbrook Polo Club, outside of Chicago, where it stayed until 1978.

The next eight U.S. Opens were hosted by Retama Polo Club in San Antonio where Memo Gracida won the first of his record 16 wins. In 1987, the U.S. Open was played at El Dorado Polo Club in Palm Springs. The next four were played at Horsepark in Lexington, Ky.

Since 1996, the U.S. Open has been held in South Florida. In 2005, Julio Gracida added to the Gracida family's combined record of 36 U.S. Open Polo Championship wins.

AUDI/PIAGET U.S. OPEN SCHEDULE

Friday, April 5, Piaget vs. Alegria, 4 p.m., Isla Carroll East Field

Sunday, April 7, Audi vs. ERG, noon.

Thursday, April 11, Piaget vs. Zacara, 10 a.m.

Sunday, April 14, Quarterfinals

Wednesday, April 17, Hall of Fame Cup, semifinal; U.S. Open Semifinals, 2 and 4 p.m.

Saturday, April 20: Hall of Fame Cup final, 4 p.m.

Sunday, April 21: Maserati U.S. Open final, 3 p.m.

GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB

WHERE: On the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington.

INFORMATION: There are great field side views for tournament action at the home base of pro teams Audi and Piaget. Everyone is welcome to watch polo in a relaxed atmosphere during the spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the International Cup in November, Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament in March, Women's Championship Tournament and Gay Polo League International Tournament, both in April.