La Dolfina earns
first final berth in Tortugas Open
By Alex Webbe
La Dolfina (Adolfo Cambiaso, David Stirling, Pablo
MacDonough and Juan Martin Nero) became the first team to qualify for the 2014
Tortugas Open final with a blistering 17-5 win over an out-gunned 33-goal, Magual
lineup (Alejandro Muzzio, Ignacio Toccalino, Marcos Di Paola and Jaime Garcia
Huidobro) Saturday afternoon at the Tortugas Country Club.
The game began slowly as the two teams seemed to be feeling
one another out. Single goals from each
had it all even at 1-1 at the end of the opening chukker.
La Dolfina started to flex their muscles in the second
period, scoring three times. Magual managed
a single goal and trailed 4-2.
The Magual defense stepped it up in the third, holding the
mighty La Dolfina team scoreless and adding a goal of their own. La Dolfina lost more than their two goals
lead, however, as an injury to Pablo MacDonough forced him from the game,
replaced by 9-goaler Sebastian Merlos. After
three chukkers Magual had cut the La Dolfina lead to a single goal, 4-3.
With Merlos settling in to the La Dolfina lineup, the team
returned to the field in the fourth period re-focused and ready to play. Three goals from Adolfo Cambiaso and company
went unanswered as La Dolfina tightened its defense. Magual was shut out and the lead was stretched
to four goals, 7-3.
La Dolfina continued to score in the fifth, but Magual fired
back. Magual responded to four La
Dolfina goals with a pair of their own.
La Dolfina had moved in front by six goals, 11-5, with two chukkers left
in regulation time.
La Dolfina scored two more goals in the sixth, 13-5, and added
four more in the seventh as the Magual offense dried up. La Dolfina rode of the field with a
thundering 17-5 win and an opportunity to defend their 2013 Tortugas Open title
in the final.
Adolfo Cambiaso led all scoring with ten goals (three on
penalty conversions). Juan Martin Nero
scored four times; Pelon Stirling was credited two goals and Pablo MacDonough
added a goal before leaving the game in the third. Alejandro Muzzio scored all five Magual goals
on penalty shots.
La Dolfina will appear in the final on Saturday, October 11th
against the winner of Sunday’s Ellerstina (Facundo Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres Jr., Mariano
Aguerre and Nicolas Pieres) showdown with Alegria (Polito Pieres, Hilario Ulloa,
Lucas Monteverde and Frederick Mannix).