Reservoir Dolls shock Rosebuds 120-119

Spunkee Bruizer takes Jesus Feist to the floor with a well placed hip check. Photo by Jeff Boerio

The final jam found the Reservoir Dolls jammerless, but up by 6... and they held on to win by one!

That is pretty much the the whole game in synopsis right there.  A back and forth fight with both teams giving everything they had and a little more, trying desperately to eke out a few more points and gain the advantage.

It started off slow, as just about every bout has started this season, with Bleeda Ford drawing first blood for Portland and going up by two, But Eugene was not going to sit this one out.  This was the Rosebuds they were playing.  They had already beaten one other NW Juggernaut and they had their giant slaying skates on!  Portland got into some penalty trouble early, forcing some short packs and over the next five jams the Dolls shot out to a 35-8 point lead.  It was clear they were going to try to control the pace of the game.  Time out for Portland.

And that was all they needed.  The Rosebuds took their minute to talk it out in the huddle, take a deep breath and remember who they were and what kind of game they played: tough, physical derby. They brought it, and the Reservoir Dolls were rocked back on their heels.  Cheese Grater of Despair and Scream Cheese were a combination in the pack that was going to be hard to beat.  Wherever the jammer was, they were there making sure she wouldn't get much, if anything at all.  But the agility of the Reservoir Dolls' jammers and the sheer will and tenacity of Buddha Thunder, Spunkee Bruizer and Rattle Skate in the pack met the challenge shoulder on. Portland surged to within 17, but Roma Mafia and Spunkee Bruizer combined on the jam line to blast back to a 26 point advantage.

It was pretty clear at that point, that the Rosebuds had had about enough of this.  Jesus Feist and Bleeda Ford took it to the pack and created openings where none existed to allow Foxy Shazam and the rest of the Rosebuds jammers to claw back to within 7.  At the halftime, it was 69-62.  As both teams headed into the locker rooms, I overheard someone talking about the Portland girls, saying it was clear they were angry, but they would be fine if they stayed out of the penalty box.  Those words would prove prophetic.

The second half started much as the first one had ended.  Both teams clawing for every point, and forcing the other team to take what they could by power and speed.  A power play Opportunity for Banana Slugher brought Portland to within one in the third jam of the half and Bleeda Ford snagged lead jammer two jams later to power into the lead change, bringing Portland on top 87-83.  That victory would prove short lived as two jams later A-shock cut the track, allowing Tinker Hell a power play opportunity.  She took as much advantage as the pack would allow and brought her team back to the lead, 90-88.

 Not to be outdone, Sumthang Sassy took advantage for the Buds when Fizzy Bubbly had to sit down for her fourth minor and snagged the lead back for Portland once again, 102-97 with some incredible skating forcing several missed hits.  Portland would hold the lead for only four jams, though.  Roma Mafia was not done skating.

In the 15th jam, Foxy Shazam was sent out for backblocking and it would give Roma all she needed in the form of a power jam to bring the Dolls back on top 120-109.  It would prove too much to overcome... barely.  Two jams later, Foxy brought her squad to within 6 (120-114) and the clock down to a mere 1 minute 5 seconds.  Just enough for one, final jam.

As the timekeeper called 5 seconds there was only one jammer on the track, Sumthang Sassy.  A jammer shot out from the Reservoir Dolls' bench, but she failed to get onto the track in time and Wench Warden waved her back to her bench.  Sumthang Sassy only had to score 7 points in the next two minutes!  What followed was one of the hardest fought jams I have witnessed in the past 3 years of watching junior derby.

Portland managed to get Sumthang through by trapping one of the dolls and slowing things down.  She shot around the track and picked up her grand slam before the trap was broken and Eugene took off.  She only had to score 1 more point to tie the game, but Spunkee Bruizer and Bahr Fight had other plans. 

They formed an Epic Two wall and stood firm against a torrent of hits trying to break it up.  If Sumthang started to break away, she found herself recycled as the rest of the Eugene pack got into the action.  They may not have a jammer, but these girls were determined to keep their lead as regulation time wound down, it became even more desperate.  No one could tell exactly how much time was left as Sassy finally broke free and circled for the final scoring pass.  The Dolls forced her to the inside into the back of her own pack where she fell to her knees and slid across the apex, passing the pack, but gaining no points as the final whistle blew!  Not only was it down to the final jam, but the final second.  At the end, the Reservoir Dolls stood victorious 120-119!

3 Stars for the Portland Rosebuds - Scream Cheese and Cheese Grater of Despair combined for 18 big hits/jammer stops and 4 open holes that I was able to spot.  They definitely get defensive stars and Foxy Shazam led all Portland scoring, picking up 48 points and a 77% lead jammer percentage!  Great job to these three and the rest of the Buds!

3 stars for Eugene Reservoir Dolls - The no brainer on this side is Spunkee Bruizer.  Twelve big plays in the pack, 34 points and a 60% lead jammer percentage make her a definite triple threat!  Joining her on the offensive side is, of course, Roma Mafia with 47 points and a 100% lead jammer percentage.  She did not have any incredible, breakout jams this time, but her consistent ability to get lead jammer and put up the numbers was key for this victory.  For the final one, I am going to have to give a combined star to Buddha Thunder and Rattle Skate.  They combined in the pack for 8 big plays that I was able to get down, but I know I missed multiple opennings created for their jammers and stops for both of them.  Just like their Portland counterparts, they knew how to be where they were needed in the pack, and made darned sure they were there.  Well done to all!

This game was awesome, and Eugene has slain the giants of I-5 and Portland. Are they giants themselves?  I would say they have definitely made their argument.

A huge thanks to Eugene for making me feel so welcome (chocolate chip cookies!) and to Felix for taking down the hits and stops as I called them out.  Next up for me is the SDB Galaxy Girls vs Kitsap Derby Brats on the 21st!