La Dolfina,La Aguada score opening wins
By AlexWebbe
Althoughthere were no big surprises in the opening round of the 2011 Argentine OpenChampionships with both La Aguada and La Dolfina registering wins, La Aguada gota late scare as Pilara Piaget scored two unanswered goals in the final chukkerto close to within a goal of La Aguada, 11-10, before time expired.
It was agive and take opening two chukkers. PilaraPiaget took a 2-1 lead after the first chukker of play on goals from HilarioUlloa and Bautista Heguy. IgnacioAstrada scored La Aguada’s sole goal of the opening period.
PilaraPiaget continued to press its defense in the second. Single goals from Pilara Piaget’s Heguy andLa Aguada’s Javier Astrada (penalty goal) kept Pilara Piaget in front, 3-2.
The NovilloAstradas are known for their patience, and it seemed like it was just a matterof time. La Aguada stepped up its offense in the third,outscoring Pilara Piaget 4-1. Javier Astrada opened the chukker with a pairof penalty goals followed by a goal from Ignacio Toccalino (playing for MiguelAstrada-torn riding muscle). Luke Tomlinsonconverted a penalty shot for a goal for Pilara Piaget, with Toccalino closingout the chukker with his second goal. Afterthree chukkers of play La Aguada led 6-4.
PilaraPiaget recaptured the defensive profile that had earlier thwarted the La Aguadaattack. In a low-scoring fourth chukker,each team was held to a single goal as Toccalino tallied a goal for La Aguadaand Tomlinson converted another penalty shot for a goal for Pilara Piaget. La Aguada left the field at the end of thefirst half with a two goal, 7-5 advantage.
Ahighly-contested fifth period saw great defense and little offense. Javier Astrada and Tomlinson exchangedpenalty goals, and La Aguada maintained the two goal lead, 8-6.
JavierAstrada converted his fifth penalty goal of the match followed by a goal fromthe field from Eduardo Astrada. Ulloaresponded with a single goal for Pilara Piaget and the sixth period ended withLa Aguada leading by three goals, 10-7.
Heguy scoredon a penalty goal to open the seventh chukker followed by a score from IgnacioAstrada. The three goal La Aguada leadheld, 11-8.
PilaraPiaget picked up goals from Ulloa and Heguy in the final chukker, and cut theLa Aguada lead to a single goal, 11-10. With one minute left to play, Toccalino stole the ball from Ulloa, whowas galloping toward the La Aguada goal, and averted the tying goal. La Aguada would hold on to win by the 11-10score.
JavierAstrada led La Aguada with five goals (all on penalty shots). Toccalino scored three times; Ignacio Astradaadded two; and Eduardo Astrada scored once in the win.
Heguy scoredfour times for Pilara Piaget. Ulloa and Tomlinsonadded three goals apiece in a losing effort.
LA DOLFINA 23, CHAPA UNO 10
Earlier inthe day Adolfo Cambiaso shrugged off reports of injured ribs to lead La Dolfinato a convincing 23-10 win over Chapa Uno.
Cambiaso putthe first point on the scoreboard with a penalty conversion followed by a goalfrom the field from David Stirling. Guillermo Caset scored the closing goal of the chukker, giving La Dolfinaa 2-1 edge.
Juan MartinNero scored twice in the second chukker and Cambiaso converted a second penaltygoal as La Dolfina kept Chapa Uno from scoring and stretched its lead to 5-1.
Chapa Unostepped up the pace in the third period, picking up single goals from Jaime Huidobro,Caset and Polito Pieres. La Dolfina neverlost stride in registering two penalty goals from Nero and single goals fromPablo MacDonough and Stirling. The La Dolfinalead now stood at five goals, 9-4.
Caset openedthe fourth with a goal, but that was the end of the Chapa Uno offense. Two goals from MacDonough and a goal fromCambiaso ended the first half with La Dolfina riding off with a 12-5, sevengoal lead while Chapa Uno was looking for an answer.
Once againCaset scored the first goal of the period, but the powerful La Dolfina teamresponded forcefully. Two more penaltygoals from Cambiaso and a goal from the field from Stirling had La Dolfina runningaway with the game after five chukkers, 15-6.
For thethird straight chukker, Caset got Chapa Uno on the scoreboard first, withCambiaso responding with a goal from the field. Caset converted a penalty shot for a goal, and for the first time allafternoon, Chapa Uno outscored La Dolfina, 2-1. La Dolfina retained solid control of the game, however, with a 16-8 leadand two chukkers left to play.
Nero addedtwo goals in the seventh period followed by a goal from Cambiaso. Pieres scored for Chapa Uno, but the LaDolfina had expanded to ten goals, 19-9.
La Dolfina showedno sign of slowing down in the final chukker. Cambiaso converted a penalty shot for a goal to open the chukker. MacDonough followed with a goal from thefield for a 21-9 lead. Caset accountedfor the only offense in the final chukker with a penalty goal before Cambiasoclosed out the game with a pair of penalty conversions for a 23-10 La Dolfina win.
Cambiaso setthe pace for La Dolfina with nine goals (seven on penalty shots). Nero scored seven times; MacDonough addedfour goals and Stirling chipped in three goals in the victory.
Caset scoredseven times for Chapa Uno (two on penalty shots). Pieres added two goals and Huidobro scoredonce.
Open play willcontinue on Sunday at 2pm when Ellerstina meets Alegria. Estancia Grande will face Indios ChapaleufuII at 4:30pm.