Detroit, MI

by Shelly Shankya

Game 5 of the 2015 International WFTDA Division 2 Playoffs in Detroit opened with a dominating start by the Nashville Rollergirls of Nashville, Tennessee (#1), over the Sac City Rollers of Sacramento, California (#8). In a dominating second half, Nashville managed to score nearly twice the number of points as Sac City and skate away with the win.

Photo by Derby With Recess

For the first seven minutes of the game Nashville played keep away, grabbing lead jammer status and 24 points in the opening six jams, leaving Sac City scoreless. The ladies from California, however, made adjustments in the seventh jam as Addy Kontrol secured lead and 15 points for her team. The blocking defense of Sac City, led by Red Tornadho, made Addy’s scoring possible, holding Phantom Power scoreless.

With just over 10 minutes gone in the first period, Sac City set themselves up for an upset over the ladies from Music City by creating a lead change off of Lady Fury of Nashville’s track cut. The 17-point jam put Sacramento up by 8 points, a lead that they extended for the following 10 jams, gaining 42 points. They didn’t let up until Sac City’s jammer Addy went to the box on a blocking with the head penalty, opening up the way for Nashville’s Chelsea Dagger to score a solid 28 points. Her blockers Stella Live and Cole Hearted kept Addy in the pack after her return from the box; yet Sacramento’s blocker bleed to the box made the difference that set up the remaining minutes of the period.

Trading nearly even time in the penalty box, 18 for Nashville and 19 for Sac City, the period ended with an 11-point lead in favor of #1 seed Nashville.

The second half started with the two teams going back and forth on lead and points, but in the third jam, Nashville began to break away from Sac City, a lead that they refused to give up for 13 jams, outscoring Sac City 85-6 in those jams. Blockers maintained their strength during the period, however, forcing track cuts and knocking jammers to the ground. Notably for Nashville, blockers Cole Hearted and veteran Maulin Monroe; for Sacramento, the blockers Conquistadorable and Purdy Grrrl made Music City skaters work even harder for their footing and pack placement.

With 9:30 left in the game, Nashville called for an Official Review, which they won. A skating out of bounds penalty was given to Sac City jammer Addy Kontrol in the fifteenth jam, giving Nashville the advantage that Sacramento hoped to withhold. The official review was the nail in the coffin for #8 seed Sac City, dashing their hopes for a resurrection in the remaining moments. With just over 4:30 in the period, Sac City blocker Kahn Artist fouled out after accruing her seventh penalty.

Nashville Rollergirls defeated the Sac City Rollers 221-151 and will play the winner of Game 6 on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Sac City moves to the consolation bracket and will play the winner of Game 7 on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.

Final Score

Nashville Rollergirls (#1) 221
Sac City Rollers (#8) 151