By Alex Webbe
Seven goals from La Alegria led the way for a 12-9 La Alegria win over Equuleus in Sunday’s Mercedes Benz Challenge Cup competition at the Bridgehampton Polo club.
The victory improved Las Alegria’s record to 2-0 and assured it of a berth in Wednesday’s semifinals of the 20-goal tournament.
Equuleus kept the game close for the first three chukkers, but La Alegria proved to be too much in the second half of the match.
Equuleus received one goal by handicap and took an early 2-1 lead after the first chukker on a goal from Mariano Gonzalez. Mariano Aguerre scored La Alegria’s only goal of the opening period.
Aguerre added two more goals to the La Alegria total in the second chukker, and Marianito Gracida scored a penalty goal while holding Equuleus to a single penalty conversion by Gonzalez, and La Alegria rode off the field after the second period with a 4-3 lead.
Goals from Gracida and Aguerre were offset by single goals from Adam Snow and Gonzalez, as La Alegria had to be content with a 6-5 halftime lead.
Aguerre rallied the La Alegria team at halftime and it took the field by storm as the fourth chukker began.
La Alegria team captain Peter Brant scored the opening goal of the chukker from the field followed by a penalty conversion from Gonzalez. La Alegria responded with three straight goals (two from Aguerre and one from Fred Mannix, Jr.) for a commanding 10-6 advantage.
Goals from the field from Gracida and Aguerre were complimented with closeout defense in the fifth, with La Alegria extending its lead to 12-6, with one chukker to play.
La Alegria coasted through the final chukker, allowing Equuleus to score three goals (two from Facundo Obregon and one from Gonzalez) as time ran out. La Alegria downed Equuleus 12-9 and secured a spot in Wednesday’s Mercedes Benz Challenge Cup with a perfect 2-0 record. The loss leveled the Equuleus record at 1-1, and setting the stage for a rematch in Wednesday’s semifinals.
Aguerre led the La Alegria attack with seven goals. Gracida scored three times and Mannix and Brant added single goals in the win.
Gonzalez led the Equuleus scoring with five goals. Obregon scored twice and Snow added a single goal in the loss.
Both semifinal games have been set for Wednesday, August 4th, with the 2010 Mercedes Benz Challenge Cup finals scheduled to be played on Saturday, August 7.