2018 International WFTDA Playoffs Atlanta Game 12: Jacksonville vs Montreal
Photo: Jim Dier

2018 Playoffs Atlanta Game 12: Jacksonville vs Montréal

PulHitzHer Prize
Jacksonville Roller Derby (Seed #3, WFTDA #9) vs. Montréal Roller Derby (Seed #2, WFTDA #7)

Jacksonville Roller Derby199

Montreal Roller Derby 192

Jacksonville Roller Derby of Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. (Seed #3, WFTDA #9) secured a spot at the 2018 International WFTDA Championships New Orleans with a last-second, come-from-behind 199-192 upset victory of Montréal Roller Derby of Montréal, Québec, Canada (Seed #2, WFTDA #7) in Saturday’s semifinal game at the 2018 International WFTDA Playoffs Atlanta.

Montréal held the lead the entire game until the end of the final jam, when tough Jacksonville defense and a jammer’s mental error cost the victory.

Down by 13 heading into the final jam, Jacksonville’s Jamsterella got out of the pack first but was not lead jammer after a no-pass-no-penalty call. She began lapping the track, posting 20 points for the lead change while blockers blockers Coco Frye, Atomic Mel-Down, Tic Tac Toni, and Fancy Schmancy held back Montréal jammer Miracle Whips from her initial pass for about 90 seconds.

2018 International WFTDA Playoffs Atlanta Game 12: Jacksonville vs Montreal
Gif by @DavefaceFMS

Miracle Whips broke free and earned lead jammer status just as Jamsterella was heading to the penalty box. Perhaps not realizing how many scoring passes Jamsterella had made or that she was heading to the penalty box, Miracle Whips called off the jam, ending the game with her team down by seven points.

“I knew we could do it, I told my wall that last jam, ‘block with everything you have, block like you have never blocked before,'” Jacksonville blocker Coco Frye told WFTDA.tv after the game.

The New Skids on the Block had led by as much as 76 points in the second half, but recorded nine jammer penalties in the half, which gave Jacksonville an opportunity to climb back.

2018 International WFTDA Playoffs Atlanta Game 12: Jacksonville vs Montreal
Gif by @DavefaceFMS

The New Jax City Rollers came into contention at the end behind the scoring plays of Jamsterella and Erin Jackson. Jackson took advantage of three power jams to put up 58 of her team-high 88 points in the second half, including a 21-point run with about three minutes remaining in the game.

Montréal started out explosive, posting 101 points in the first 21 minutes of the game. But Jacksonville’s defense locked down and only allowed 29 points in the remainder of the first half. Jacksonville’s Erin Jackson closed out the half with a 20-0 jam, but Montreal took a 60-point lead into halftime, 130-70.

This is the third time these teams have squared off in the 16 months, with Montréal winning both those games. “We were coming from two losses to Montréal, and this was our time,” Coco Frye said after the game.

2018 International WFTDA Playoffs Atlanta Game 12: Jacksonville vs Montreal
Jim Dier

In addition to Erin Jackson, Jamsterella had 58 points for the New Jax City Rollers and Snot Rocket Science had 42. Key defensive players were Coco Frye, Atomic Mel-Down, Tic Tac Toni, Fancy Schmancy, Eirinn Go Brawl, and Legs R Us.

For the New Skids on the Block, Falcon Punch had a game-high 96 points, Miracle Whips had 47 and The Honey Badger had 31. Defensive standouts were Mange Moi El Cul, Surgical Strike, Why So Sirius?, and Magnum PEI.

2018 International WFTDA Playoffs Atlanta Game 12: Jacksonville vs Montreal
Jim Dier

Jacksonville advances into the tournament’s first-place game against the Texas Rollergirls of Austin, Texas, U.S. (Seed #1, WFTDA #6) at 5:20 p.m. EDT on Sunday.

Montréal still has a shot at making WFTDA Champs, as they face the London Rollergirls of London, England (Seed #5, WFTDA #14) in the tournament’s third-place game at 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday.

Back to 2018 International WFTDA Playoffs Atlanta Tournament Central

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