Hurlingham Open ; Day 3

By Jorge Andrades


Adolfo Cambiaso scored 19 goals to settle a new Triple Crown match record and give his team La Dolfina a 23-10 victory over El Paraiso 23-10 while Ellerstina edged Indios Chapaleufu II 15-12 on the third sunny day for the B zone of the 116th edition of the Hurlingham Open. Both unbeaten  winners will clash next Saturday for a place in the final in what will be the first 80 goals official match in polo  history.


 La Dolfina had no problems in defeating El Paraiso who could not stop their  rivals` superiority. Adolfo Cambiaso shone for the winners, not only scoring his 19 goals, but also being their leader on the field. After the match, the best player in the world said: “Records are to be broken. When I entered the last chukker I was told that I had scored 16 goals and I thought about scoring 20. I couldn`t reach that number but fortunately I overcame Ignacio Merlos`18 goals record…I`m very happy about it.”


Ellestina played brilliantly during a couple of chukkers, giving an excellent polo lesson. It was then when  they obtained the necessary difference in the score to win the match, and then preserved it without forcing their horses in order to face La Dolfina without problems with their mounts.


By the end of the fourth and fifth chukkers, the Champions of the Tortugas Open they were leading easily 9-4 and 10-5, and it seemed they would reach the triumph without any problems.


Despite of it, Indios Chapaleufu II, showing their well known hard fighting way of playing, discounted three goals to trail by just two goals by the end of the seventh period. Nevertheless the winners did not allow them to equalize and with a goal scored in the start of the eight chukker by Facundo Pieres through a penalty, they took the necessary lead in the score to triumph.


Facundo was the scorer of the match with 8, and after the game admitted that they had played well…”just during some passages…and that was enough….we did not repeat our horses and hope to face La Dolfina in our best form. Indios Chapaleufu II is a great rival who knows very well how to create fouls…they grew thanks to our self errors, but we were trusted in our triumph”.


                                        


TEAMS


La Dolfina (23): Adolfo Cambiaso 10, Lucas Monteverde 10, Mariano Aguerre 10, Bartolomé Castagnola 10. Total, 40


 


El Paraíso (10): Guillermo Caset jr.8, Ignacio Toccalino 8 , Mariano González 8,  Alejandro Novillo Astrada 7. Total 31.


 


Scorers: La Dolfina: Adolfo Cambiaso  19-10 pen, Lucas Monteverde  1 , Mariano Aguerre 1, Bartolomé Castagnola  2. El Paraíso: Guillermo Caset  jr. 2, Ignacio Toccalino 5-2 pen, Mariano González 3.


 


Chukker scores: La Dolfina 4-1,9-1,12-2,12-4,15-7,18-9,20-10,23-10.


Ellerstina (15 ):Facundo Pieres 10, Gonzalo Pieres jr 10, Pablo Mac Donough 10, Juan Martín Nero 10. Total, 40


 


Indios Chapaleufú II (12) : Alberto Heguy jr. 8, Ignacio Heguy 9, David Stirling jr. 8,  Eduardo Heguy 9.Total, 34


 


Scorers:  Ellerstina :Facundo Pieres 8-2 pen, Gonzalo Pieres jr  3 , Pablo Mac Donough 1, Juan Martín Nero 3. Indios Chapaleufú II: Alberto Heguy jr.  1, Ignacio Heguy 3, David Stirling jr.  1,  Eduardo Heguy  7-6 pen.


 


Chukker scores: Ellerstina 2-1,3-2,7-3,9-4,10-5,12-7,14-11,15-12.