Ellerstina and La Natividad win; will meet in Saturday’s semifinals
By Alex Webbe
In a slow startingopening chukker of play Tuesday afternoon at the Hurlingham Club in BuenosAires, Argentina, La Natividad (Sapo Caset, Nachi Heguy, Rodrigo Andrade and Lolo Castagnola) scored the only goal of the first period for a humbling 1-0 lead over Magual (Alejandro Muzzio, Ignacio Toccalino, Marcos Di Paola and Jaime Huidobro) in Hurlingham Open competition.
The two teams tradedgoals in the second chukker, each scoring a couple of goals. La Natividad continued to lead, 3-2.
Four unansweredgoals by La Natividad in the third period left Magual trailing by fivegoals. La Natividad rode into the fourthchukker of the game with a commanding 7-2 advantage.
Three more fourthchukker goals by La Natividad extended their lead even further. Magual managed a single goal, but fell behindby seven goals, 10-3 at the end of the first half.
Magual regrouped athalftime and charged into the fourth chukker with their biggest goal productionof the day, four goals. A shocked LaNatividad responded with a single goal. Magual had cut the lead to four goals, but it was La Natividad whomaintained control of the match, 11-4.
La Natividad scoredthree more goals in the sixth while Magual had to settle for just twoscores. La Natividad led by five goals,14-9.
Magual fought to getback into the game in the final two chukkers of the game, but La Natividadmatched them goal for goal. The twoteams scored a pair of goals apiece in each of the final two chukkers as LaNatividad rode off with the 18-13 win.
Sapo Caset lit upthe field, scoring eight of his game high 13 goals on penalty shots. Rodrigo Andrade and Lolo Castagnola scoredtwo goals apiece. Nachi Heguy added agoal. Ignacio Toccalino scored ninegoals for Magual (six on penalty conversions). Alejandro Muzzio was credited with four goals in the loss.
ELLERSTINA 17, LA AGUADA/LAS MONJITAS 10
Ellerstina/Piaget(Facundo Pieres, Gonzalito Pieres, Mariano Aguerre and Paco de Narvaez) hadtheir way with La Aguada/Las Monjitas(Lucas James, Magoo Laprida, Eduardo Novillo Astrada, Alejandro NovilloAstrada) in the opening chukker of Tuesday’s Hurlingham Open match with fivestraight goals. The Ellerstina defensecomplimented their offensive prowess by blanking La Aguada/Las Monjitas for a 5-0 lead.
Ellerstina scoredthe first two goals of the second chukker for a 7-0 advantage before La Aguada/LasMonjitas settled into a rhythm. Twogoals from Negro Novillo Astrada cut the lead to five goals, 7-2. Ellerstina scored the final two goals for an 8-2lead.
The two teamsleveled off in third and fourth period action, scoring a pair of goals apiecein each of the chukkers. At the end ofthe first half, Ellerstina sat on top of a 12-6 score.
Ellerstina stretchedtheir lead to seven goals in the fifth chukker, outscoring La Aguada/LasMonjitas 2-1. Ellerstina remained incontrol of the contest behind a 14-7 score.
La Aguada/Las Monjitas continued to pressurethe Ellerstina defense, outscoring them for the first time all day. LaAguada/Las Monjitas cut the lead back to six goals, scoring twice whilelimiting Ellerstina to a single goal. LaAguada/Las Monjitas trailed, 15-9 with two chukkers left in regulation play.
Facundo Pieres ledthe Ellerstina attack with ten goals (four on penalty shots). Gonzalito Pieres scored five times andMariano Aguerre added two goals for the win. Negro Novillo Astrada scored six of his seven goals on penaltyconversions. Magoo Laprida scored twiceand Eduardo Novillo Astrada scored once for Loa Aguada/Las Monjitas.
Hurlingham Open playwill continue on Friday, October 25th when La Dolfina (2-0) and LaAguada (2-0) meet in semifinal action. Chapaleufu (0-2) and Alegria (0-2) will playone another in a consolation match.
On Saturday, October26th Ellerstina (0-2) and La Natividad (2-0) will face one anotherin the tournament’s second semifinal match. Magual (0-2) and La Aguada/Las Monjitas (0-2) will play one another forthird place honors in the same bracket.