Gang Green Collapses Pittsburgh’s Steel Beamers 174-127
After watching the Ohio Roller Girls charter team take down the Steel Hurtin’ 216-191, Gang Green did everything they could to make sure their bout against Pittsburgh’s reserve squad wouldn’t be as close. It’s always a tough match when Steel City and Ohio meet, and Gang Green quickly found themselves in a battle that made the several hundred spectators in attendance cheer for the efforts put forth by everyone involved. The first ten jams of the contest went back and forth between Gang Green and the Steel Beamers. Jams lasted an average of one minute, and just ten minutes into the bout, the two reserve squads exchanged leads a total of five times. With 19:15 remaining in the first period, Gang Green clung to a slim 24-17 lead.
On the period’s eleventh jam, Gang Green’s Sarah Bruce rattled off a 20-0 power jam with Shrinking Violet in the penalty box for a high block. Two jams later, it was Val Holla knocking Hot Lips Bruise’ihan out of bounds, allowing HellionBOI the opportunity to get lead and secure a 2-0 jam. Hellion’s jam took Gang Green’s lead to 54-18. Clean play by both squads over the next ten jams didn’t yield a single power jam, yet Sarah Bruce was again able to post a 13-0 jam seventeen as her blockers were able to hold Snarkolepsy on her initial pass for over a full minute. In the final jam of the period, Gang Green’s Chestburster held the front of the pack against Steel Beamers’ Shrinking Violet, but a jammer penalty to Ohio allowed Violet to score a 6-1 jam as both squads headed to their locker rooms for halftime. At the intermission, Gang Green had doubled up on Pittsburgh, 78-39.
Whereas points came at a premium in the first half, double-digit jams were appearing on the scoreboard nearly every third jam in the second period. Steel City started the period strong, obtaining lead jammer in each of the first five jams of the half. They used this advantage to quickly outscore Gang Green 11-5 as they started to nickel-and-dime their way into the deficit. Putting an end to their lead jammer streak was, once again, Sarah Bruce, who scored a 13-4 sixth jam. In the subsequent jam, KloverKill picked up where Bruce left off, as she obtained lead and scored fourteen points. KloverKill was then called for a high block that allowed Shrinking Violet time to score fifteen of her own. After the wild seventh jam, Gang Green still led 110-69.
Five jams later, stellar defense by Texas Chainsaw Sasskicker at the front of the pack on Tootsie Roller gave KloverKill time to score another fifteen point jam. The two teams would then go back and forth with lead jammer over the next seven jams, but Gang Green held strong and led 157-114 with just under 6:00 remaining. Quiet Storm, KloverKill, and HellionBOI each obtained lead in three of the final five jams to close the bout and secure the victory in Gang Green’s final home bout of 2014, 174-127. Playing admirably in the pack for Gang Green throughout the bout were Zinnia Zombie, Elektra Magneto, and Nicold N Deadly. Also playing well for Gang Green in her first appearance as an Ohio Roller Girl was Attackagawea, transfer skater from the Lowcountry High Rollers (Charleston, SC).
For their efforts, Gang Green’s KloverKill and Texas Chainsaw Sasskicker were named Most Valuable Jammer and Blocker, respectively. Sharing the honors for the Steel Beamers were Snarkolepsy and BB Basher. Gang Green’s final road bout of the season will take place in Dayton against Gem City’s Violent Femmes on September 13th.
Pictures courtesy of Dorn Byg. (full set)
