La Dolfina, La Aguada score opening wins

By Alex Webbe

Although there were no big surprises in the opening round of the 2011 Argentine Open Championships with both La Aguada and La Dolfina registering wins, La Aguada got a late scare as Pilara Piaget scored two unanswered goals in the final chukker to close to within a goal of La Aguada, 11-10, before time expired.

It was a give and take opening two chukkers.  Pilara Piaget took a 2-1 lead after the first chukker of play on goals from Hilario Ulloa and Bautista Heguy.  Ignacio Astrada scored La Aguada’s sole goal of the opening period.  

Pilara Piaget continued to press its defense in the second.  Single goals from Pilara Piaget’s Heguy and La Aguada’s Javier Astrada (penalty goal) kept Pilara Piaget in front, 3-2.

The Novillo Astradas are known for their patience, and it seemed like it was just a matter of time.   La Aguada stepped up its offense in the third, outscoring Pilara Piaget 4-1.  Javier Astrada opened the chukker with a pair of penalty goals followed by a goal from Ignacio Toccalino (playing for Miguel Astrada-torn riding muscle).  Luke Tomlinson converted a penalty shot for a goal for Pilara Piaget, with Toccalino closing out the chukker with his second goal.  After three chukkers of play La Aguada led 6-4.

Pilara Piaget recaptured the defensive profile that had earlier thwarted the La Aguada attack.  In a low-scoring fourth chukker, each team was held to a single goal as Toccalino tallied a goal for La Aguada and Tomlinson converted another penalty shot for a goal for Pilara Piaget. La Aguada left the field at the end of the first half with a two goal, 7-5 advantage.

A highly-contested fifth period saw great defense and little offense.  Javier Astrada and Tomlinson exchanged penalty goals, and La Aguada maintained the two goal lead, 8-6.

Javier Astrada converted his fifth penalty goal of the match followed by a goal from the field from Eduardo Astrada.  Ulloa responded with a single goal for Pilara Piaget and the sixth period ended with La Aguada leading by three goals, 10-7. 

Heguy scored on a penalty goal to open the seventh chukker followed by a score from Ignacio Astrada.  The three goal La Aguada lead held, 11-8.

Pilara Piaget picked up goals from Ulloa and Heguy in the final chukker, and cut the La Aguada lead to a single goal, 11-10.  With one minute left to play, Toccalino stole the ball from Ulloa, who was galloping toward the La Aguada goal, and averted the tying goal.  La Aguada would hold on to win by the 11-10 score.

Javier Astrada led La Aguada with five goals (all on penalty shots).  Toccalino scored three times; Ignacio Astrada added two; and Eduardo Astrada scored once in the win.

Heguy scored four times for Pilara Piaget.  Ulloa and Tomlinson added three goals apiece in a losing effort.

LA DOLFINA 23, CHAPA UNO 10

Earlier in the day Adolfo Cambiaso shrugged off reports of injured ribs to lead La Dolfina to a convincing 23-10 win over Chapa Uno.

Cambiaso put the first point on the scoreboard with a penalty conversion followed by a goal from the field from David Stirling.  Guillermo Caset scored the closing goal of the chukker, giving La Dolfina a 2-1 edge.

Juan Martin Nero scored twice in the second chukker and Cambiaso converted a second penalty goal as La Dolfina kept Chapa Uno from scoring and stretched its lead to 5-1.

Chapa Uno stepped up the pace in the third period, picking up single goals from Jaime Huidobro, Caset and Polito Pieres.  La Dolfina never lost stride in registering two penalty goals from Nero and single goals from Pablo MacDonough and Stirling.  The La Dolfina lead now stood at five goals, 9-4.

Caset opened the fourth with a goal, but that was the end of the Chapa Uno offense.  Two goals from MacDonough and a goal from Cambiaso ended the first half with La Dolfina riding off with a 12-5, seven goal lead while Chapa Uno was looking for an answer.

Once again Caset scored the first goal of the period, but the powerful La Dolfina team responded forcefully.  Two more penalty goals from Cambiaso and a goal from the field from Stirling had La Dolfina running away with the game after five chukkers, 15-6.

For the third straight chukker, Caset got Chapa Uno on the scoreboard first, with Cambiaso responding with a goal from the field.  Caset converted a penalty shot for a goal, and for the first time all afternoon, Chapa Uno outscored La Dolfina, 2-1.  La Dolfina retained solid control of the game, however, with a 16-8 lead and two chukkers left to play.

Nero added two goals in the seventh period followed by a goal from Cambiaso.  Pieres scored for Chapa Uno, but the La Dolfina had expanded to ten goals, 19-9.

La Dolfina showed no 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 the field for a 21-9 lead.  Caset accounted for the only offense in the final chukker with a penalty goal before Cambiaso closed out the game with a pair of penalty conversions for a 23-10 La Dolfina win.

Cambiaso set the pace for La Dolfina with nine goals (seven on penalty shots).  Nero scored seven times; MacDonough added four goals and Stirling chipped in three goals in the victory.

Caset scored seven times for Chapa Uno (two on penalty shots).  Pieres added two goals and Huidobro scored once.

Open play will continue on Sunday at 2pm when Ellerstina meets Alegria.  Estancia Grande will face Indios Chapaleufu II at 4:30pm.