Ellerstina beats La Natividad 16-13 earns
Hurlingham Open final berth
By Alex Webbe
Eduardo Novillo
Astrada had already hit the ground and Magual (Alejandro Muzzio, Ignacio
Toccalino, Marcos Di Paola and Jaime Huidobro) had taken a 3-2 lead over La
Aguada – Las Monjitas (Lucas James, Magoo Laprida, Eduardo Novillo Astrada,
Alejandro Novillo Astrada) when the game was suspended at the 6:30 mark due to
dangerous field conditions. Wet fields
had already delayed the playing of last week’s games in the 2013 Hurlingham
Open before they were finally played, but in a game that really didn’t matter,
it was decided to suspend play.
The feature match of
the day, however, between Ellerstina/Piaget (Facundo Pieres, Gonzalito
Pieres, Mariano Aguerre and Paco de Narvaez) and La Natividad (Sapo Caset, Nachi Heguy, Rodrigo Andrade and
Lolo Castagnola) did take place on the Hurlingham Club’s Number 1 field.
The talented Ellerstina team looked comfortable in first
chukker play as they ran out to an early 3-1 lead, but La Natividad didn’t show
up to be anyone’s punching bag.
La Natividad scored four times in the second period while
holding Ellerstina to just a pair of goals.
At the end of the second period the two teams were all even at 5-5 and
Ellerstina knew that they were a battle.
Defense ruled the third chukker, with La Natividad scoring
the only goal of the period. After the
first three chukkers of play the upset-minded La Natividad foursome led, 6-5.
Ellerstina fought back in the fourth, outscoring La
Natividad 3-2. The first half ended in
an 8-8 deadlock.
Ellerstina scored the only goal of the fifth chukker. With three periods left in regulation play,
Ellerstina held a narrow 9-8 advantage.
Both offenses moved it up a notch in the sixth. Matching one another goal for goal, the
chukker ended with Ellerstina defending their one goal advantage, 12-11.
La Natividad managed two goals in the seventh while limiting
the Ellerstina offense to a single goal.
With seven minutes left to play the score was all even at 13-13.
A determined Ellerstina team rode onto the field for the final
chukker of play. Showing flawless
defensive prowess, Ellerstina scored three unanswered goals for the 16-13
victory and an appointment with La Dolfina in the finals of the 2013 Hurlingham
Open next Saturday.
Facundo Pieres led all scoring with ten goals (five on
penalty conversions). Gonzalito Pieres
added four goals and Mariano Aguerre scored twice in the win. Sapo Caset led the La Natividad attack with
eight goals (four on penalty shots).
Rodrigo Andrade scored three times and Nachi Heguy added two goals in
the loss.