Vancouver, BC

By Culta Skaro

Riding the momentum of a hard-fought win over the Naptown Roller Girls Tornado Sirens of Indianapolis, IN, USA this morning, the Queen City Roller Girls Lake Effect Furies of Buffalo, NY, USA (seed #9), were determined to earn another victory in Game 10 of the 2016 International WFTDA Division 1 Playoffs Vancouver. But their opponents, the Sacred City Derby Girls Sacrificers of Sacramento, CA, USA (seed #7), were looking to notch their first W of the weekend after a big loss to the Angel City Derby Girls Friday night.

Photo by Keith Bielat

After a neck-and-neck start the game, Queen City was able to lock down a significant lead that ultimately landed them a 242-160 win—giving them an opportunity to fight for the top spot in the Consolation Bracket on Sunday.

For the first eight jams of the game, the teams remained within a few points of each other as the lead changed back and forth. Each team had fluid walls that were able to quickly assist their jammers—shortly after lead was declared, the other jammer would spring from the back to try to force a speedy call off.

That shifted in jam nine when Librawlian, jamming for Queen City, was able to explode from the pack and quickly work her way through several grand slam laps as Sacred City’s Lil Beez Neez tried to fight her way out from a formidable Queen City wall. Sac’s blockers seemed torn between trying to contain Librawlian or spring their own jammer as Queen City racked up 34 points to take a 58-27 lead.

Photo by Keith Bielat

Penalties began to heavily impact the game as both teams gave up points to nimble jammers who took advantage of down packs. Librawlian jammed in the first power jam of the game with just two Sac City blockers in her way, catapulting Queen City’s lead to 79-40 a quarter of the way into the game.

When the teams were able to field all of their skaters, they were able to punish their opposing jammers with hard hits, quick run backs, and fluid recycling, but repeated trips to the box offered an opportunity that was quickly exploited. Queen City blocker Bricks Hit-house often ran successful offensive plays to provide jammers an unobstructed path through the pack.

With 10 minutes left on the clock, Sacred had several skaters already sitting at five or six penalties as Queen City took the lead 211-122. Gnar Gnar Jinx and Blushy Lushy would both hit seven before the end of the game.

Queen City secured a 242-160 win, with Librawlian scoring 91 points and inSINerator putting up 86. They’ll next play on Sunday at 2 p.m. PT against the winner of tonight’s matchup between Stockholm Roller Derby (seed #8) and Terminal City Rollergirls (seed #5), in a fight for fifth place in the tournament. On Sunday at 12 p.m. PT, Sacred City will play whichever team loses that game for seventh place.

Final Score

Sacred City Derby Girls (#7) 160
Queen City Roller Girls (#9) 242