By Alex Webbe
With a 12-7 win over La Ensenada Friday morning at the International Polo club in Wellington, Las Monjitas earned a berth in Sunday’s finals of the 2012 Butler Handicap where they will face Piaget Black.
There was little offense by either side in the opening five minutes of play, with Los Monjitas 10-goaler Eduardo Astrada scoring the first goal of the game with 2:33 remaining in the first chukker. Fermin Gutierrez scored the final goal of the period for a 1-1 tie.
Javier Astrada scored a 2-1 go-ahead goal for Las Monjitas in the opening minute of the second chukker. Lucas James responded for La Ensenada by converting a 40-yard penalty shot and it was all even at 2-2. Eduardo Astrada scored the final two goal of the chukker, and Las Monjitas left the field with a 4-2 advantage.
Javier Astrada took the opening throw-in of the third chukker down the field for a goal to put Las Monjitas ahead, 5-2. Juan Garcia Grossi answered for La Ensenada with a goal, cutting the lead to two goals, 5-3. Eduardo Astrada scored a pair of goals from the field with James adding a closing goal for La Ensenada. At the end of the first half Las Monjitas guarded a three goal 7-4 lead.
A more defensive minded La Ensenada team took the field in the fourth chukker, shutting down the Las Monjitas attack and picking up a couple of goals of their own. Single goals from James and Matias Magrini (60-yard penalty shot) cut the Las Monjitas lead to a single goal, 7-6 as the chukker ended.
Las Monjitas responded in force in the fifth period. Three unanswered goals were accompanied by shut-out defense as Las Monjitas extended their lead to four goals, 10-6. Javier Astrada scored twice while Inaki Laprida got on the scoreboard for the first time all afternoon.
Javier Astrada scored on a goal from the field and a 40-yard penalty shot in the opening minutes of the final chukker. La Ensenada continued to struggle with its offense, but managed to score the final goal of the match in a 12-7 Las Monjitas victory.
Javier Astrada scored six goals in the Las Monjitas win. Eduardo Astrada accounted for five goals and Laprida scored once.
James led the scoring attack of La Ensenada with four goals. Gutierrez, Juan Garcia Grossi and Magrini picked up single goals in the loss.