Sacramento, CA

By Jezebelle Z. Bub

Kicking off Friday evening of the international 2014 WFDTA Division 1 Playoffs in Sacramento, the Minnesota RollerGirls (2 seed, rank #8) from Saint Paul, Minnesota played the winner’s of the afternoon’s Game 2, Tampa Roller Derby (7 seed, rank #8) from Tampa, Florida.

Photo by Danforth Johnson

Although Minnesota started off with the lead, both jammers got held up behind two sets of tights walls. Minnesota jammer Harmony Killerbruise broke through at last to spike Minnesota’s score. Despite strong backwards blocking from Tampa, Minnesota finished jam three in the lead, 29-3.

Minnesota Captain and jammer Slambda Phage headed to the penalty box in jam four giving Tampa jammer Taz Maniac a chance to tighten up the game. With some successful offense from her blockers, Maniac didn't seem to have trouble getting through Minnesota’s wall, but she found herself in the box on a cutting the track penalty. The jammers switched places in the penalty box, only to have Slambda find her way back to the box, leaving Tampa to start jam five with the advantage.

Skating backwards out of the pack Tampa jammer Little A brought the the score to within three points before calling the jam, 36-33.

The excitement was evident in the Sacramento crowd: some Minnesota fans painted their chest “M,” “N,” “R,” “G,” and stood with the Minnesota Nice mascot making some noise as Harmony Killabruise took the lead.

Tampa jammer Little A grabbed lead, spun out of the apex, but got a penalty for cutting the track. After her penalty time expired, she jumped back in and cut the track for a second time giving Killabruise the opportunity to put some distance between the scores to settle at 74- 56 for Minnesota.

Minnesota blocker Trudy gave Tampa jammer Apolo Ana trouble right off the line. Ana ended up in the box leaving Minnesota jammer Harmony Killerbruise to speed in ready for scoring. Minnesota used the Tampa jammer penalty trend to to strengthen their lead. Killerbruise called off the jam sliding past the pack on the outside on just one leg.

A streak of successful jams by Minnesota jammers Harmony Killerbruise, Slambda Phage, and Crowella De Vil left Minnesota in the lead, ending the first half, 137- 62.

In the second half, Minnesota jumped to a 100 point lead. Fans appeared to be waving a giant stuffed animal—the Terminal City fish, on loan—indicating their jammer Harmony Killerbruise was swimming through the pack of Tampa blockers.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, a mass exodus of players— from both sides— headed to the penalty box leaving only two Tampa blockers on the track with the three remaining Minnesota blockers. Harmony Killerbruise took advance of the massive penalty fumble to hike up Minnesota’s score. When all hands returned to deck, the game slowed back down, but the damage was done, 206- 99 in favor of Minnesota.

The next jam began with Minnesota jammer Slambda Phage hitting Tampa’s jammer Taz Maniac out of bounds right off the jam line. Slambda then backed up half the length of the track, but Maniac did not fall for Slambda’s strategy. The rest of the pack was forced forward into motion by the refs, and the two jammer raced back to the pack— although it was Maniac that that through first to be lead jammer.

With under a minute on the clock, Tampa jammer phDiesel hit the penalty box, and left Harmony Killerbruise on the track to clean up. Minnesota’s mascot danced track-side cheering on Killerbruise as she swept in the last few points, winning the game for Minnesota, 261-107.

“We could have been a little cleaner,” said Tampa’s jammer PhDiesel. “We got a few penalties that got us in trouble, so they were able to capitalize on that. Minnesota is an awesome team. They are really fun to play. They are the number two seed here. We are happy with how we played but we would have liked to play a little cleaner so we could have put a few more points on the board.”

Multiplayer blocks were the penalty of the game totaling one-third of the 73 total penalties. Cutting the track came in next as the hot ticket no-no. In total, Tampa sat in the box 41 times, while Minnesota had 32.

“Definitely our wall formations were our strengths, making sure that we were staying slow and dug-in,” said Minnesota jammer Harmony Killerbruise. “Not letting their jammers, their power jammer especially, push us up.”

Minnesota Rollergirls will play the Denver Roller Dolls on Saturday at 8 p.m. to determine who is going all the way to Sunday night’s Championship game. Tampa Roller Derby will compete again against the winner’s of Game 8 on Saturday at 6 p.m.

FINAL SCORE

(2) Minnesota RollerGirls 261
(7) Tampa Roller Derby 107