ERG broke the game open in the third chukker, scoring five goals and racing out to a commanding 9-4 halftime score on their way to a 12-7 victory over Audi in the semifinals of the Butler Handicap at the International Polo Club in Wellington, Florida Thursday afternoon. The win boosts ERG into the tournament finals on Sunday when they will meet the winner of Friday’s Piaget vs. Orchard Hill showdown.
Paco de Narvaez scored the opening goal of the game on a 60-yard penalty shot for an early ERG lead, but Nico Pieres responded with a pair of goals (one on a penalty shot) to move Audi in front, 2-1.
ERG stormed back into play in the second, scoring three straight goals for a 4-2 lead. Agustin Merlos scored on a penalty shot followed by a pair of goals from the field from teammate de Narvaez. Ten-goaler Gonzalito Pieres closed out the scoring with a goal to cut the ERG lead to a single goal, 4-3.
ERG ran all over Audi in the third period of play, outscoring them 5-1 and running up a five goal, 9-5 halftime lead. Merlos opened the chukker with a goal from the field which was answered by a goal from Gonzalito Pieres. Merlos responded with three consecutive goals followed by a 60-yard penalty conversion from de Narvaez. A stunned Audi left the field trying to figure out what happened to them.
A refocused Audi defense returned to action in the second half, limiting ERG to a single fourth chukker penalty goal from Merlos. Nico Pieres scored once from the field and once on a penalty shot, but Audi could get no closer than four goals, 10-6.
The Audi defense did its job once again in the fifth, holding their offense scoreless, but the Audi offense managed only a single penalty goal (Nico Pieres). The lead was cut to just three goals, 10-7, but the lead belonged to ERG and there was only one chukker left in regulation time.
The ERG defense stepped up in the final period and kept the Audi team off of the scoreboard completely. Single goals were added to the ERG total by Eduardo Astrada and Merlos for the 12-7 final with the only unusual activity occurring in the sixth chukker being the inadvertent triggering of the sprinkler system on the north end of the field at the 2:43 mark.
Merlos led the scoring parade with seven goals. De Narvaez scored four times and Astrada added a goal for the win. Nico Pieres was credited with five goals for Audi. Gonzalito Pieres scored twice in a losing effort.
ERG will play the winner of Friday’s Piaget vs. Orchard Hill game in Sunday’s noon finals of the 2013 Butler Handicap.