Richmond, VA

Kansas City falls to Philadelphia

By Megan Enemies

Longtime heavyweights Philly Roller Girls (#14, #4 seed), of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and 2007 WFTDA Champions Kansas City Roller Warriors (#21, #5 seed), of Kansas City, Missouri, faced off in Game 3 of the 2013 WFTDA Division 1 Playoffs Richmond. Both teams exhibited killer defense and smart, tenacious jamming, but Philly took the lead early on and held onto it the entire game, beating the Kansas City All-Stars, 261-225.

In the first jam, it took more than 30 seconds for Philly jammer Antidote to get through and earn lead jammer status. Kansas City jammer Case Closed then went to the box on a low block, joining one of her blockers. Philly blocker Persephone ran forward to bust-up the Kansas City defense and get her jammer through. But then Antidote got called for a back block and went to the penalty box.

Tom Klubens

Philly started jam 2 with Antidote in the box, but a 22-0 lead. Kansas picked up 10 points in the next jam.

Both teams excelled at using their own teammates as projectile weapons, repeatedly pushing their own blockers into the path of opposing jammers.

Philadelphia jammer VanEssa "V-Diva" Sites put up 72 of Philadelphia’s 158 first-half points by repeatedly bolting around the outside, and when the opposing skaters slowed her, patiently pushing them forward until they were out of play. Kansas City’s defense twice encountered the brute force of Sites, when she laid out backwards-skating blockers. But Philly’s jammers wouldn’t have been nearly as successful without the help of the Liberty Belles blockers, who were adept at charging forward and breaking up defensive walls.

Kansas City jammer Case Closed showed outstanding awareness, at one point calling the jam while being pummeled by Philadelphia blockers, as she saw Philly’s jammer approaching the pack.

Toward the end of the first half, Case Closed knocked Philadelphia jammer Clam Jammer out of bounds on the starting whistle, but Clam Jammer was able to come back in and get lead jammer. The half ended with Philadelphia up, 155-82.

In the second half, Teflon Donna sneaked backward and forced a track cut when Kansas City jammer Trauma went out of bounds. Philadelphia excelled at reversing quickly and forcing both the opposing blockers and jammers to cut the track.

After two consecutive jams of Philadelphia jammers going to the box on penalties, Kansas City came within seven points of Philadelphia. But then Sites donned the star to increase Philly’s lead, 171-160. Even though Kansas City jammers Trauma, Reptar, and Case Closed were able to gain some ground on Philadelphia, the team was unable to keep the momentum going from jam to jam.

Final Score

(4) Philly Roller Girls 261
(5) Kansas City Roller Warriors 225

Philly will take on the winner of Game 5 – Angel City Derby Girls v. New Hampshire Roller Derby – at 2 p.m. Saturday. Kansas City will continue to play in the consolation bracket.