The DC Rollergirls All-Stars came into this weekend’s Eastern Regionals seeded 10th. Of ten teams. Team co-captain Battery Operated told us on Friday that she had modest hopes that the team would climb as high as seventh in the rankings. Respectable performances in defeat against Carolina (#7) and Steel City (#5) in the first two rounds put those lofty aspirations to rest. But our All-Stars did notch a convincing win in their final bout, toppling the Dutchland All-Stars to finish the tournament in 9th place. (In case you were wondering, top-ranked Gotham bested Philly for the Championship. Full results and bout recaps at Derby News Network.)

How did the team feel about their performance? “This tournament was a win for D.C.,” declared All-Star jammer Marion Barrycuda cheerily, as she patiently endured snarled traffic along the New Jersey Turnpike Sunday evening — not unlike the challenges she had faced as a jammer on the derby track over three tough bouts. “We earned an invite as the number 10 team in the east and, in the end, we came out of it in 9th place.”