Argentine
Open qualifiers field narrows
By
Alex Webbe
Two more games Thursday afternoon in Buenos Aires and
four teams move a step closer to qualifying for the Hurlingham Open and the
Argentine Open at Palermo.
Chapa II (Alberto Heguy, Francisco Elizalde, Nachi Du
Plessis and Bautista Heguy) ran away
with the first game of the day, burying Sauvaterre (Gonzalo Deltour, Gaston
Laulhe, Inaki Laprida and Joao Paulo Ganon) in a 15-7 romp. Chapa II started out slow, trailing
Sauvaterre 2-1 after the first chukker and all even at 3-3 after the second.
The tables were turned in the third as Chapa II scored a
pair of unanswered goals for a 5-3 advantage.
Four consecutive goals by Chapa II had Sauvaterre on the short end of a
9-3 score, unable to break through the Chapa II defense and unable to slow down
their powerful attack.
Chapa II and Sauvaterre traded a pair of goals in
fifth. Sauvaterre picked up no ground
and looked at a six goal deficit, 11-5.
Sauvaterre picked up two more goals in the sixth, but
Chapa II kept pace. The lead remained at
six goals, 13-7.
Two more goals from Chapa II ended the match with Sauvaterre
unable to score in the final seven minutes of play.
Chapa II sat on top of a 2-0 record while Sauvaterre was
winless in two outings.
La
Aguada/Las Monjitas 12, Las Praderas 5
In the second match of the day Las Praderas (Santiago
Toccalino, Joaquin Pittaluga, Diego Cavanaugh and Ignacio Toccalino) attempted
to upset the favored La Aguada/Las Monjitas foursome (Lucas James, Magoo
Laprida, Eduardo Novillo Astrada and Alejandro Novillo Astrada), tying at 1-1
after the first period and defending a narrow 4-3 lead after the second.
La Aguada/Las Monjitas took charge of the game in the
third, however, scoring six straight goals over the course of the third and
fourth chukkers while shutting down the Las Praderas offense for a five goal,
9-4 edge.
The teams swapped single goals in the fifth chukker
before La Aguada/Las Monjitas ran the score up to 11-5 after the sixth.
La Aguada/Las Monjitas added a single goal in the final
chukker that went unanswered in the team’s 12-5 win.
La Aguada/Las Monjitas joined Chapa II, La Irenita and
Magual with perfect 2-0 records while Sauvaterre, Las Praderas, La Vanguardia
and Trenque Lauquen sat winless after two games.
The undefeated teams will meet on Monday and Tuesday,
with La Aguada/Las Monjitas (2-0) scheduled to face Chapa II (2-0) on Monday
and La Irenita (2-0) set to battle Magual (2-0) on Tuesday.