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La Dolfina wins; prepares to defend their
2011 Argentine Open title

By Alex Webbe

The much anticipated Argentine Open semifinal between Piaget Pilara and La Dolfina
on the Number 1 field at Palermo got off to a tenuous start, with La Dolfina scoring early
and taking the first lead of the game. At the end of the opening chukker Pilara Piaget
trailed by a single goal, 2-1.

It is still early, but it appears that La Dolfina doesn’t want to make the mistake of
allowing Pilara Piaget to stay in the game this time. Three unanswered goals by La
Dolfina in the second chukker have Pilara Piaget trailing 5-1 after the second period.

Get ready to see the full force of the La Dolfina attack. After three chukkers La Dolfina
is leading a disparaged Pilar Piaget team, 8-2. Although Pilara Piaget isn’t out of it yet,
La Dolfina looks to be staking their claim on the Argentine Open trophy this afternoon.

A persistent Pilara Piaget regrouped for the fourth chukker, outscoring La Dolfina for the
first time all day, 3-1, and cutting the lead to four goals, 9-5 to end the first four chukkers
of play.

It was only a month ago when the two teams last met, and La Dolfina held a three goal
lead (10-7) over Pilara Piaget in the semifinals of the Hurlingham Open. La Dolfina
managed a 17-16 win, but surrendered three goals to Pilara Piaget in the final chukker
without firing back offensively.

Pilara Piaget has been the only team that has truly tested La Dolfina this season (not
including Ellerstina’s early one goal Tortugas Open win). It’s apparent that La Dolfina
doesn’t want any of it today. La Dolfina entered the second half ready to play all eight
chukker and outscored Pilara Piaget 4-2 for a six goal, 13-7 advantage at the end of the
fifth chukker.

After five chukkers in their last meeting with Pilara Piaget, La Dolfina led by a single
goal, but they look like they’re rehearsing for the finals today. La Dolfina outscored
Pilara Piaget 4-1 in the sixth chukker to take a commanding nine goal, 17-8 lead with
two periods to play.

Pilara Piaget managed to get a handle on La Dolfina in the seventh, but outscoring the
40-goal machine 2-1 this late in the game is a lesson in futility. After seven chukkers of
play, La Dolfina sits on top of an eight goal, 18-10 score.

Pilara Piaget shutout La Dolfina in the final chukker of Saturday afternoon’s semifinal
match, but it made little difference. The three unanswered goals scored by Pilara
Piaget merely cut the La Dolfina winning to five goals in the 18-13 La Dolfina victory.

The win boosts La Dolfina into a position to defend its 2011 title while awaiting the
outcome of Sunday’s action to see who they might be facing.

ALEGRIA 18, MAGUAL 16

In an earlier match, Alegria (0-2) faced Magual (0-2) in a game played for mere pride
Saturday afternoon on the Number 2 grounds at Palermo in Buenos Aires. Alegria
(Agustin Merlos, Lucas Monteverde, Pite Merlos and Fred Mannix) took an early lead,
outscoring Magual 3-1 in the opening chukker of play.

Magual (Alejandro Muzzio, Facundo Sola, Marcos Di Paola and Jaime Huidobro)
stormed back in the second period, outscoring Alegria 4-2. At the end of the second
chukker it was all even at 5-5.

Alegria’s defense tightened in the third as a frustrated Magual attack was shut out. Two
unanswered goals from Alegria had them out in front, 7-5, after three chukkers.

Magual opened the fourth chukker with a score, cutting the Alegria lead to a single goal,
7-6. Alegria fought back with a goal of their own to put themselves on top by two goals,
8-6. Undeterred, Magual scored again, Alegria continued to lead, 8-7. Alegria didn’t
miss a beat, adding another goal to their total for a 9-7 lead. Magual responded with
another score to trail buy a single goal once again, 9-8 to end the first half.

A confident Alegria took the field in the second half, scoring the opening goal, for a
two goal, 10-8 advantage. Magual answered with a goal and they trailed Alegria by a
single goal again, 10-9. Alegria cranked it up a notch, outscoring Magual in the final
minutes of the fifth and taking a 12-9 lead.

The sixth chukker was give and take. Alegria tried to shut the door on Magual, but there
was no quit on the Magual team. Although Magual couldn’t cut into the Alegria lead,
they stayed within striking distance. The sixth chukker ended with Alegria enjoying a
three goal lead, 14-11.

Magual cut the Alegria lead to a pair of goals, 14-12 in the opening minutes of the
seventh chukker. The momentum swung back and forth, with Alegria holding on to the
lead, 16-14 with one chukker left to play in regulation time.

The tone of the game continued into the final chukker. Magual cut the Alegria lead to
a single goal, 16-15, with the first goal of the eighth, but Alegria responded with a goal
of their own, 17-15. A second straight goal from Alegria extended the lead back to

three goals, 18-15. Magual didn’t roll over, coming back with a goal, 18-16, but with two
minutes left in the game, that was as close as they would come. Alegria rode off the
field with the 18-16 win.