ERG vs. Orchard Hill

03/31/2012, 12:00 pm |

ERG - 13, Orchard Hill - 10

After battling back and forth for the first five chukkers of play, ERG turned it on in the final chukker to record a 13-10 win over Orchard Hill as first round play continues in the US Open.

Mariano Gonzalez got Orchard Hill on the scoreboard early with a penalty conversion, but Agustin Merlos responded just a minute later with a penalty goal for ERG, 1-1. Gonzalez closed out the scoring in the first chukker with his second penalty conversion for a 2-1 Orchard Hill lead.

Two minutes into the second chukker Gonzalez scored again from the penalty line for a 3-1 Orchard Hill advantage, but that was when ERG came alive. Agustin Merlos pushed the ball through the Orchard Hill goalposts while galloping parallel to the end line and then scored his second goal from the field just a minute later to tie the game at 3-3. Agustin Merlos scored the final goal of the chukker on another penalty shot, and ERG left the field on top of a 4-3 score.

The third chukker was defensive in nature with choppy play and errant passes. Paco de Narvaez scored the only goal of the chukker in the last 36 seconds as ERG ended the first half up by two goals, 5-3.

Orchard Hill took the reins in the second half, with an opening goal from Gonzalez from the throw-in followed by a goal from the field from Lucas Criado to tie it up at 5-5. Agustin Merlos responded with a penalty goal from Agustin Merlos to put ERG back on top, 6-5. A centering pass from Agustin Merlos three minutes later caught a streaking de Narvaez who drove it through the goal posts for a score, 7-5.
Ten-goaler Pablo MacDonough broke through the ERG defense to score his first goal of the game, 7-6. A penalty goal from Agustin Merlos ended the chukker with ERG ahead, 8-6.

Goals from Criado and MacDonough (penalty shot) tied it up again at 8-8 as the fifth chukker got underway. De Narvaez answered with a goal for ERG, 9-8 that Criado countered with another goal from the field, 9-9. Sebastian Merlos closed out the scoring in the fifth period with a well-executed scoring effort for a 10-9 ERG lead.

Agustin Merlos scored the first goal of the final chukker on a penalty conversion, extending the ERG lead to 11-9. Criado finally got Orchard Hill on the right track again with his fourth goal of the game, but the rally fell short. Agustin Merlos scored the final goal of the game in a 13-10 ERG victory.

Agustin Merlos led all scoring with nine goals (five on penalty shots). De Narvaez added three goals and Sebastian Merlos scored once in the win.

Criado and Gonzalez scored four goals apiece for Orchard Hill (three goals from Gonzalez were on penalty shots). MacDonough added two goals (one by penalty) in the loss.