2017 D2 Playoffs Game 3:
Ohio vs. No Coast

Ohio Roller Derby (#8) vs. No Coast Derby Girls (#9)

Game 3 of the 2017 International WFTDA D2 Playoffs pitted No Coast Derby Girls (#9) of Lincoln, Nebraska against Ohio Roller Derby (#8) from Columbus, Ohio. The first jam of the game was a power jam in favor of No Coast, who maintained control of the competition until the last jam. Ohio’s muscular jammers and the defensive strength of their blockers like Betty TKO were formidable, but No Coast’s seasoned hybrid utility skaters like Ripa, well-timed offense and adept game play management and official reviews kept them ahead of the pack.

After the first decisive jam, No Coast continued to chip away at the score, earning multiple lead jammer statuses, but not able to break apart Ohio’s walls with ease and break away with a definitive lead. Ten minutes into the game, Ohio’s wall maintained an impenetrable formation against No Coast’s trapped jammer and Ohio jammer Pain Train was given carte blanche to brutalize No Coast’s defense in a 19-point jam. Ohio held the lead for the first and only time during the game.

No Coast responded definitively after that, their walls dynamic and stable, and their jammers, assisted by well-timed offensive maneuvers from their teammates, were able to achieve lead jammer status, multi-pass point scores, and apex jumps to steadily build their point spread through the first half.

Five minutes before the end of the half, No Coast won an official review, sending Ohio’s jammer to the box. This allowed No Coast jammer Slam to push her team ever closer to the century mark, and by the end of the half, No Coast was sitting comfortably at over twice Ohio’s score, 104–51.

The first jam of the second half was staunchly defensive, with neither team able to score any points. Seven minutes into the second half, Ohio’s Pain Train responded with a lead jammer status and four points, earning gains on No Coast’s lead as the Ohio pack lured Frostbite, jamming for No Coast, into a cut, and froze her in the penalty box for a second jam.

Ohio’s deep bench of strong jammers continued to pick up points against No Coast, but the Nebraskan’s agile jammers and quick switches to coordinated offense kept them comfortably ahead. With fifteen minutes left in gameplay North Coast’s jammers and star-passed pivots are able to sneak in few points at a time in almost every jam as Ohio’s defensive players struggled to regain their formations against No Coast’s sweeping offensive maneuvers and agile-footed jammers.

Both teams worked to achieve gains throughout this game, and although they held a comfortable lead from their opponents for the majority of the game, No Coast lost keystone blockers Ripa and Bully to foul outs in middle of the second half. Without these pivotal players, Ohio was able to show their mettle and take advantage of those holes to shave away at what was threatening to become a triple digit differential, even as No Coast proved their team’s experience and cohesion with a decisive win.

No Coast will go on to play Dublin Roller Derby at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Ohio will play the losing team of the Jet City Rollergirls (#4) vs. Treasure Valley Roller Derby (#13) game Saturday at noon, Eastern Time.

FINAL SCORE

Ohio Roller Derby (#8, WFTDA #48) 143
No Coast Derby Girls (#9, WFTDA #49) 215