By Alex Webbe
La Aguada/Las Monjitas (0-1) took the early lead in Saturday afternoon’s first game in Hurlingham Open play by running up a 3-1 score on La Natividad (1-0) after the opening chukker.
La Natividad bounced back in the second frame with four goals while limiting La Aguada/Las Monjitas to a single goal. La Natividad takes the lead, 5-4.
La Aguada/Las Monjitas wasted little time in ratcheting up its defense, shutting out a talented La Natividad offense while registering three goals of its own. After the third chukker La Aguada/Las Monjitas left the field with a 7-5 advantage.
La Natividad tried to rev up its offense but the La Aguada/Las Monjitas defenders were up to the challenge. The teams scored three goals apiece for a 10-8 halftime lead for La Aguada/Las Monjitas. A puzzled La Natividad foursome leaves the field trailing by two goals at the end of the first half of play.
La Natividad must have come up with something at halftime. Refreshed, they outscored La Aguada/Las Monjitas 3-1 in the fifth chukker and tied it up at 11-11. A final goal from La Natividad closes out the chukker with La Aguada/Las Monjitas on top for the first time all day, 12-11.
La Natividad continues to build up momentum in the sixth chukker as they move ahead of La Aguada/Las Monjitas, 14-12.
La Natividad tries to fend off the La Aguada/Las Monjitas attack but gives up two goals while managing a single goal of its own. La Aguada/Las Monjitas trails by a single goal, 15-14 with seven minutes left to play.
La Aguada/Las Monjitas managed to fight their way back into the game in the eighth chukker, tying it up at 16-16. Polito Pieres broke the tie to score the winning goal for La Natividad in a 17-16 nail-bitter. The victory gives La Natividad a 2-0 record and boosts them into next week’s semifinals.
La Aguada upsets Ellerstina 12-8
La Aguada lost their first Hurlingham Open match to an upstart La Natividad team but scored early Saturday afternoon and finished the first chukker leading Ellerstina 2-1.
Ellerstina and La Aguada exchanged goals in the second chukker with La Aguada continuing to lead, 3-2.
The La Aguada defense is smothering the Ellerstina attack. At the end of the third chukker La Aguada holds a 4-2 advantage.
Someone woke up the Ellerstina team. The defense showed up in the fourth chukker, shutting out La Aguada while the offense produced two unanswered goals for a 4-4 halftime tie score.
It’s not easy going for Ellerstina with the score all tied up at 6-6 in the fifth chukker.
The La Aguada defense rules the day again. La Aguada kept Ellerstina from scoring while picking up a pair of goals to go ahead 8-6.
Eduardo Heguy remarked how Ellerstina doesn’t seem to have any rhythm today. The stickwork of the Pieres boys isn’t what we’re used to either.
There appears to be no let up by La Aguada today as they take a four goal 11-7 lead over Ellerstina after the seventh chukker!
There was no comeback for Ellerstina today as they ended up falling to La Aguada 12-8.