By Alex Webbe
ERG totally dominated La Ensenada in Saturday’s opening match of the day in competition for the USPA Piaget Gold Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington as they romped to a 16-3 win.
ERG spotted the 25-goal La Ensenada team one goal by handicap and wasted little time in tying it and taking the lead. Just over a minute into the game, Paco de Narvaez scored a goal from the field, 1-1, as the ERG assault began. Agustin Merlos converted two penalty goals for a 3-1 lead before Marcos Alberdi (substituting for team captain Scott Wood) took the ball from the ensuing throw-in and raced 150 yards down the field to score. After the first seven minutes of play, ERG led 4-1.
Agustin Merlos added a goal from the field and converted a 60-yard penalty shot before La Ensenada could deliver any significant offense. Matias Magrini scored on a penalty goal for La Ensenada but a goal from the field from Sebastian Merlos on a 180 yard breakaway, ended the second chukker with ERG in total control of a 7-2 game.
Single goals from Agustin Merlos and his brother Sebastian Merlos went unanswered in the third period as ERG extended its lead. At the halfway point, ERG held a commanding seven goal, 9-2 advantage.
La Ensenada stepped up their game in the fourth, holding ERG scoreless for the first time all morning, but there was still no productive offense, and the score remained 9-2.
Sebastian added two more goals from the field and Alberdi added another goal. La Ensenada was blanked for the third consecutive chukker and trailed 12-2 with one chukker left in the game.
The Merlos brothers added two goals apiece in the sixth period to put ERG ahead, 16-2. With 1:29 left in regulation time, Juab Garcia Grossi scored La Ensenada’s first goal from the field. The final horn sounded with ERG recording a 16-3 win.
Agustin Merlos led ERG with seven goals. Sebastian Merlos was credited with six goals. Alberdi scored twice and de Narvaez scored once in the victory.
Magrini scored one goal on a penalty shot and teammate Grossi added a goal from the field. La Ensenada received one goal by handicap.
ALEGRIA 8, VALIENTE I 7
Valiente I scored the first three goal of the game before Alegria could respond but it would be Alegria that would ultimately ride off with an 8-7 win after an injured Nacho Astrada (9) would leave the field.
Valiente I team captain Bob Jornayvaz scored the opening goal of the game on a run from midfield just two-and-a-half minutes into the game for the 1-0 lead. Miguel Astrada and Nacho Astrada added to the lead with single goals from the field to put Valiente I in front, 3-0. Tomas Garcia Del Rio kept Alegria from being shut out with a beautifully executed 60-yard neck shot with three seconds on the clock. Valiente I took the early lead, 3-1.
A penalty conversion by Miguel Astrada in the second chukker was countered by a goal from the field from Alegria’s Mariano Aguerre. Valiente I continued to hold a two goal lead, 4-2.
Two minutes into the third chukker, Valiente I’s nacho Astrada suffered an injury to his riding muscle and was forced to retire. After a 15 minute delay, Santiago Toccalino (8) was brought in to replace him and play resumed. A Valiente I foul sent Alegria to the penalty line where Del Rio converted the shot for a goal. The first half came to an end with Valiente I holding on to a narrow 4-3 lead.
As the second half opened, Alegria took advantage of the loss of Nacho Astrada by pressuring the Valiente I defense. A tying goal from Del Rio with two-and-a-half minutes to play, 4-4, was followed by a go-ahead goal from Aguerre with 11 seconds on the clock, 5-4.
The fifth period marked the third consecutive chukker in which Valiente I failed to score. Two goals from Del Rio (one on a well-executed tail shot and another on a penalty conversion) and a goal from Aguerre had the momentum continuing to build for Alegria. Valiente I trailed 8-4 with one chukker left in the game.
Valiente I continued to struggle through the first couple of minutes of the sixth chukker before Miguel Astrada managed to score, 8-5. A minute later it was Polito Pieres who split the goal posts for a second consecutive Valiente I goal. Aguerre struggled to control the ball and stem the growing Valiente I rally. An Alegria penalty allowed Miguel Astrada the opportunity to attempt a 60-yard penalty shot, which he converted, and the Alegria lead was cut to one goal, 8-7. Both teams fought for control of the throw-in with neither having the clear upper hand. The clock continued to run as Valiente I fought to create a scoring opportunity, after the 30 second horn sounded. An Alegria player drove the ball to the sideboards to end the game and deliver Alegria a much needed 8-7 win.
Del Rio and Aguerre scored four goals apiece on the day.
Miguel Astrada was credited with four goals for Valiente I (two on penalty conversions). Nacho Astrada, Pieres and Jornayvaz scored single goals in the loss.