By Alex Webbe
Two more games Thursday afternoon in Buenos Aires and four teams move a step closer to qualifying for the Hurlingham Open and the Argentine Open at Palermo.
Chapa II (Alberto Heguy, Francisco Elizalde, Nachi Du Plessis and Bautista Heguy) ran away with the first game of the day, burying Sauvaterre (Gonzalo Deltour, Gaston Laulhe, Inaki Laprida and Joao Paulo Ganon) in a 15-7 romp. Chapa II started out slow, trailing Sauvaterre 2-1 after the first chukker and all even at 3-3 after the second.
The tables were turned in the third as Chapa II scored a pair of unanswered goals for a 5-3 advantage. Four consecutive goals by Chapa II had Sauvaterre on the short end of a 9-3 score, unable to break through the Chapa II defense and unable to slow down their powerful attack.
Chapa II and Sauvaterre traded a pair of goals in fifth. Sauvaterre picked up no ground and looked at a six goal deficit, 11-5.
Sauvaterre picked up two more goals in the sixth, but Chapa II kept pace. The lead remained at six goals, 13-7.
Two more goals from Chapa II ended the match with Sauvaterre unable to score in the final seven minutes of play.
Chapa II sat on top of a 2-0 record while Sauvaterre was winless in two outings.
La Aguada/Las Monjitas 12, Las Praderas 5
In the second match of the day Las Praderas (Santiago Toccalino, Joaquin Pittaluga, Diego Cavanaugh and Ignacio Toccalino) attempted to upset the favored La Aguada/Las Monjitas foursome (Lucas James, Magoo Laprida, Eduardo Novillo Astrada and Alejandro Novillo Astrada), tying at 1-1 after the first period and defending a narrow 4-3 lead after the second.
La Aguada/Las Monjitas took charge of the game in the third, however, scoring six straight goals over the course of the third and fourth chukkers while shutting down the Las Praderas offense for a five goal, 9-4 edge.
The teams swapped single goals in the fifth chukker before La Aguada/Las Monjitas ran the score up to 11-5 after the sixth.
La Aguada/Las Monjitas added a single goal in the final chukker that went unanswered in the team’s 12-5 win.
La Aguada/Las Monjitas joined Chapa II, La Irenita and Magual with perfect 2-0 records while Sauvaterre, Las Praderas, La Vanguardia and Trenque Lauquen sat winless after two games.
The undefeated teams will meet on Monday and Tuesday, with La Aguada/Las Monjitas (2-0) scheduled to face Chapa II (2-0) on Monday and La Irenita (2-0) set to battle Magual (2-0) on Tuesday.