Las Monjitas vs. Valiente I

03/31/2012, 4:00 pm |

Valiente I - 8, Las Monjitas - 6

In a match that was very much a defensive battle-at speed, Valiente I, outlasted Las Monjitas 8-6. The contest saw no less than four Astrada brothers on the field between the two teams Saturday afternoon in the 2012 Nespresso US Open tournament at the International Polo Club in Wellington.

Scoring came easy in the opening minutes of play with Javier Astrada scoring for Las Monjitas less than 30 seconds into the game, and Bob Jornayvaz getting his Valiente I team on the scoreboard with a goal from the field. Eduardo Astrada scored his first goal of the game to put Las Monjitas back on top, 2-1. Miguel Astrada knotted it up at 2-2 with a penalty conversion in the last minute for the final score of the period.

Nacho Astrada opened the second chukker with a beautifully executed nearside neck shot that gave Valiente I its first lead of the game. Inaki Laprida tied it up at 3-3 with a goal from the field less than a minute later in what would be the last goal of the chukker.

Consecutive goals from Javier Astrada and Eduardo Astrada had Las Monjitas ahead, 5-3 in the third period. Both teams fought for control of the ball until Polito Pieres scored with 1:37 left in the first half. A second goal from Pieres came with 12 seconds on the clock for a 5-5 halftime score.

Resolute defensive work by Valiente I kept Las Monjitas from scoring in the fourth chukker as Nacho Astrada and Miguel Astrada tallied single goals. After four chukkers of play, Valiente led, 7-5.

Horse races from one end of the field to the other characterized the fifth chukker. Missed shots at goal and great defensive work resulted in Miguel Astrada scoring the only goal of the chukker. Valiente I extended its lead to three goals, 8-5.

The pace never slowed down in the final chukker, but goals were hard to come by. With 44 seconds left in regulation time, Eduardo Astrada scored the only second half goal for Las Monjitas as they fell to Valiente I, 8-6.

A balanced Valiente attack had Miguel Astrada scoring three times. Pieres and Nacho Astrada added two goals apiece and team captain, Bob Jornayvaz, scored once in the win.

Javier Astrada led the Las Monjitas attack with three goals. Eduardo Astrada scored twice and Laprida added a single goal in the loss.