Ellerstina 10-goaler Polito Pieres in pursuit of Adolfo Cambiaso in the final of the Hurlingham Open.
After preliminary rounds of play that left both defending champion La Dolfina (Adolfo Cambiaso, David Stirling, Pablo MacDonough and Juan Martin Nero) and Ellerstina (Facundo Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres, Polito Pieres and Nico Pieres) with 3-0 records, the two teams faced off in a final for the second time of the season in 2016 Hurlingham Open competition, at the Hurlingham Club.
Nico Pieres (returning to the lineup after a hard fall in the final chukker of the team’s win over Alegria on Sunday) got Ellerstina on the scoreboard with a goal just 20 seconds into the game. Both defenses stiffened with Adolfo Cambiaso scoring the only other goal of the chukker at the 6:40 mark for a 1-1 tie.
Defense was the name of the game in second period play as expert stickwork moved the ball up and down the field without the benefit of a goal being scored. After two chukkers of play, the score remained all even at 1-1.
Pablo MacDonough’s first goal of the day gave La Dolfina the lead, 2-1, but Ellerstina refused to fade. Stellar defense was aided by a 40-yard penalty goal from Facundo Pieres just a minute later. The two teams battled through the balance of the period without adding another goal. The score remained tied at 2-2 at the end of the third.
Pelon Stirling opened the fourth chukker with a goal at 1:46, giving the lead back to La Dolfina, 3-2. The Ellerstina attack managed to break through the La Dolfina defenders, 6:46 into the chukker with Gonzalito Pieres tying the score at 3-3 at the end of the first half.
Three minutes into fifth chukker, Gonzalito Pieres scored his second goal of the day, giving Ellerstina a 4-3 lead. MacDonough countered with his second goal of the afternoon at the 6:25 mark, knotting the score at 4-4.
Facundo Pieres put Ellerstina back into the lead with the opening goal of the sixth chukker at 2:13. La Dolfina stormed back with goals from MacDonough (4:57) and Cambiaso (a 30-yard penalty shot at 5:32). The sixth chukker ended with La Dolfina defending a narrow 6-5 lead.
Cambiaso made it 7-5 with the first goal of the seventh period and his third of the day. Facundo Pieres responded by converting a 60-yard penalty shot, cutting the La Dolfina lead back to a single goal, 7-6. An Ellerstina foul sent Cambiaso to the penalty line at the 5:22 mark where he converted from 30-yard out. The seventh period ended with La Dolfina on top, 8-6.
Cambiaso scored his fifth goal of the game just 43 seconds into the eighth chukker, 9-6, as La Dolfina appeared to take the offensive initiative but Ellerstina rallied. Back-to-back goals from Gonzalito Pieres were capped by a goal from Facundo Pieres (6:46), for the final goal of the period, deadlocking the game at 9-9 and forcing an overtime chukker.
After a brief intermission, both teams returned to the field as Ellerstina saw the opportunity for their first Hurlingham Open title in six years appear. Both teams continued to play solid defense as the minutes ticked off the clock.
With La Dolfina’s Pelon Stirling driving toward the Ellerstina goal, Gonzalito Pieres stole the ball from him and raced down the field. Gonzalito Pieres blew past Cambiaso, and with Pablo MacDonough in pursuit drove a neck-shot through the La Dolfina goalposts with the winning goal with 6:46 gone in the overtime period.
Gonzalito Pieres led the Ellerstina attack with five goals including the game winner in overtime and earned MVP honors. Facundo Pieres scored four times (twice on penalty shots) and Nico Pieres added a goal for the win. Cambiaso scored three of his team-high five goals on penalty conversions. MacDonough scored three times and Stirling added a goal in a losing effort.
The eight-team field has been broken into two brackets with Bracket A consisting of La Dolfina (Adolfo Cambiaso, David Stirling, Pablo MacDonough and Juan Martin Nero); Alegría (Guillermo Caset, Hilario Ulloa, Lucas Monteverde and Fred Mannix); Washington (Diego Cavanagh, Tomas Garcia Del Rio, Facundo Sola and Alfredo Cappella); and Cria Yatay (Guillermo Terrera, Magoo Laprida, Joaquin Pittaluga and Inaki Laprida). Bracket B is comprised of Ellerstina (Facundo Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres, Polito Pieres and Nico Pieres); La Aguada-Las Monjitas (Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Eduardo. Novillo Astrada, Miguel Novillo Astrada and Ignacio Novillo Astrada); El Paraiso (Agustin Merlos, Ignacio Toccalino, Ignacio Heguy and Santiago Toccalino); and La Irenita (Juan Ruiz Guiñazu, Juan M. Zavaleta, Matías MacDonough and Clemente Zavaleta). The winners of each bracket will meet in the final of the 2016 Argentine Open Championship game on December 10th.
Triple Crown action continues on Saturday, November 12th with the opening round of play in the 2016 Argentine Open at Palermo with the defending champion La Dolfina (40) facing Cria Yatay (30) in the opener followed by a contest between Alegria (37) and Washington (33).
On Sunday, November 13th, Ellerstina (39) meets La Irenita (29) in the day’s opening match followed by a battle between La Aguada-Las Monjitas (35) and El Paraiso (35).
The tournament final has been scheduled to be played on Saturday, December 10th.