By Valerie Hurtinelli

The Tornado Sirens traveled to the icy tundra of eastern South Dakota to meet the Sioux Falls Roller Dollz in the host team’s Oct. 10 season opener. The seven-hour commute by air and highway was the farthest commute in Naptown history, a sign of the Sirens’ determination to venture well outside of their comfort zone and take the league into exciting new territory.

The action at Sioux Falls fairgrounds began with Katya Lookin on the jammer line beside Queen Elizabitch of Sioux Falls. While Katya struggled to get through the pack, Queen cleared NRG’s starting lineup of blockers—4 Leaf Cleaver, Ana Slays Ya, Sweet C, and Ima Hurchu—to rack up the first five points of the night. Naptown’s jammers fought hard for every point in the first half, and the blockers adjusted their strategy to counteract the Dollz’ darting speed and sure-footedness. Cleaver, C, and Psychedelic Sandy plowed into blockers, and Cereal Killer in the role of pivot orchestrated some beautiful plays that would have shut down a lesser team. But the Dollz simply (and literally) would not go down.

When the scoreboard at halftime showed Sioux Falls in the lead with 37 points to Naptown’s 23, the Sirens ramped up their resolve and rolled out of the locker tent with fire in their bellies. The second half saw several impressive performances by Sirens’ newcomer Dora the Destroyer, who lived up to her nickname’s nickname, “The Gazelle,” as she darted around the Sioux Falls blockers to gain lead jammer nearly every time she wore the star, even when she shared the jammer line with the Dollz power skater, Inspectah Beck. Every time double-threat Shadi Layne rolled onto the track, she did it like a warrior going into battle—whether skating within the pack as blocker or cannonballing right through it as jammer. The ladies of NRG were in fighting form, and the 439 fans gathered in the Sioux Falls barn that night were treated to some great derby, including a dramatic final jam by Katya—who lapped the pack with her arms in the official lead jammer “L.”

Nevertheless, NRG never was able to gain the lead. The final score of 96 to 61 was in Sioux Falls’ favor, a heartbreaking though illuminating loss for the ladies of NRG, who will meet the Sioux Falls Roller Dollz again in March—but next time it will be on home turf.