2018 Playoffs A Coruña Game 7: Crime City vs. Santa Cruz
Crime City Rollers (Seed #3, WFTDA #10) vs Santa Cruz Derby Girls (Seed #6, WFTDA #16)
191
163
On the strength of just two jammers late in the second half, the Crime City Rollers of Malmö, Sweden held off an upset challenge from the Santa Cruz Derby Girls of Santa Cruz, California, U.S. in Game 7 of the 2018 International WFTDA Playoffs A Coruña to take a 191-163 victory Saturday.
Crime City trailed much of the game, but a lineup adjustment with 14 minutes remaining made the difference. Sticking with a two-jammer rotation of team captain Curly Håår and Hanna P, who was facing penalty trouble, the Swedish team posted an 81-33 run to reclaim the lead and finish the game.
Both teams had a bit of slow start in the first game of the day, but Santa Cruz took a lead and Boardwalk Bombshell jammer Madi Masochist stretched it with 25 points during a full-minute power jam. Santa Cruz held Crime City scoreless for eight consecutive jams in the first half while putting up 66 points.
Crime City jammer Ragna “PonyCat” Rockette was expelled from the game midway through the first half following a misconduct penalty. This left Crime City with just three jammers, but it seemed to spark the Malmö A-Team. Led by Curly Håår, they went on a 29-8 run.
“I felt like we were really stressed in the beginning, but somehow knew we were going to make it,” Curly Håår told WFTDA.tv after the game. “We’re always slow in the start, and it was our first game [of the tournament]. It was a tough game.”
Santa Cruz had second-half opportunities to widen the lead as Crime City’s jammers found themselves in the penalty box, but the A-Team’s defense including Kix, Dykestalker and Bricken worked to keep Santa Cruz point scoring to a minimum.
The game came into reach for Crime City when Curly Håår had a 35-point jam, cutting Santa Cruz’s lead to seven points. Hanna P’s 19-point effort at the 11-minute mark gave the Swedish team a nine-point advantage. Bombshell jammer Skirt Vonnegut almost tied the game with a 19-point power jam, but penalties kept Santa Cruz blockers off the track and Crime City racking up points.
When the score is tied and then there’s a LEAD CHANGE #talk2WFTDA #toomuchexcite pic.twitter.com/b2FXac203a
— BigBucksHighRollers (@BigBucksHR) September 1, 2018
CURLY HAAR JUST CURED MY ACNE AND WATERED MY CROPS. #talk2wftda
— Scarmitage Hux (@pinkteacozy) September 1, 2018
Curly Håår was the game’s high scorer with 114 points for Crime City, while teammate Hanna P had 59. Santa Cruz was led by Madi Masochist with 43, Skirt Vonnegut with 41 and Yeti or Not, Here I Come with 34.
Heartbreaker for Santa Cruz, but what a testament to endurance and never giving up for Malmö. Cheers all around. #talk2WFTDA #sunsandderby #WFTDAplayoffs pic.twitter.com/PAjHN478OS
— Fred Whistley (@MaryGwendolyn) September 1, 2018
Crime City advances to face either Angel City Derby of Los Angeles, California, U.S. (Seed #2, WFTDA #8) or 2×4 Roller Derby of Buenos Aires, Argentina (Seed #7, WFTDA #18) in Game 12 at 8:20 p.m. CET on Saturday. Santa Cruz will close out their tournament play against Philly Roller Derby of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. (Seed #8, WFTDA #21) in Game 13 at 11 a.m. CET on Sunday.
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