La Dolfina handles La Aguada, 16-10; Cambiaso leaves in the sixth chukker
By Alex Webbe
La Dolfina (Adolfo Cambiaso, Pelon Stirling, Pablo MacDonough and Juan Martin Nero) continues to dominate play in the 2015 Hurlingham Open in Argentina as they defeated La Aguada (Agustín Merlos, Guillermo Terrera, Sapo Caset and Ignacio Novillo Astrada) Saturday afternoon by a comfortable 16-10 margin.
The two teams started slowly with each getting their footing in the early minutes of play. Each team scored a goal in a 1-1 opening chukker.
Adolfo Cambiaso and Pelon Stirling teamed up in the second chukker as La Dolfina outscored La Aguada 4-1. After two periods of play it was La Dolfina in control of the game, 5-2.
There was no quit in La Aguada as they battled with the reigning Hurlingham Open champion, but managed just a single goal in the chukker. La Aguada scored twice and extended their lead to four goals, 7-3.
La Aguada matched the 40-goal La Dolfina team goal for goal in the fourth period. La Aguada didn’t make up any ground but they weren’t letting the boys from Cañuelas to run all over them. At the end of the first half, La Dolfina led La Aguada by four goals, 9-5.
La Aguada continued to press their attack and dutifully apply pressure on defense. Two goals cut the La Dolfina lead down to a manageable two goals, 9-7. Cambiaso and Stirling scored the last two goals of the chukker and regained their four goal advantage, 11-7.
La Dolfina stretched their lead to five goals in the sixth while holding La Aguada to a single score, 13-8, but they would lose the services of Cambiaso who was bothered by a an abductor muscle and was forced to leave the game. Brazilian 8-goaler Rodrigo Andrade joined the La Dolfina lineup midway through the chukker, and they never missed a beat.
La Aguada continued press the attack but a sound La Dolfina defense held them to single goals in the final two chukkers. La Dolfina added two goals in the final chukker for the 16-10 win, a perfect 3-0 record and the chance to defend their 2014 Hurlingham Open title against the winner of Sunday’s Ellerstina (Polito Pieres, Nico Pieres, Gonzalito Pieres and Facundo Pieres) vs. Alegria (Magoo Laprida, Hilario Ulloa, Lucas Monteverde and Fred Mannix) game.
(Photo courtesy of the AAP and Matias Callejo)