When the final score was tallied, the Yukon Roller Girls could finally let out a sigh of relief.

A nail-biting season-opening bout ended Saturday night with the North Pole Babes in Toyland's point total topping out at 243, giving the Yukon side their first win by a score of 254-243.

Hundreds of spectators came out for the spectacle, which saw the flat track set up on one quarter of the ice-free curling rink.

The bout was a back-and-forth affair, but the Yukon team took the lead for good late in the contest. A last-gasp attempt by the North Pole Babes would not be enough to close the gap.

Yukon Roller Girls' president Lindsay "Bonanza Babe” Agar said the home team won by sticking together.

"I think generally we just had the cohesion when we were all on the track, and not in the penalty box,” she told the Star.

"We have a strong team and we were able to hold back their jammers and create a really strong defensive wall.”

Despite their overall success however, Agar admitted her club struggled with penalty problems throughout.

"From last season, we've been working really hard at staying out of the box and working as one cohesive team,” she explained. "Whatever we were going to do on the track, we were going to do it together and do it well. We recognize that we've had some penalty problems in the past, so part of our practice is always practising with a man down, so we can play really strong as a three-wall as well.”

The Yukon squad wasn't sure what to expect from their Alaskan rivals, but stuck to their own strategies to earn the hard-fought win.

"It was a little nail-biting at the end,” Agar said. "But we know going forward, it will show us where we need to work. It was just a really good fun first bout. They were wonderful girls to play against.”

North Pole captain Tina "Ice Storm 007” Clarke said her club was honoured to square off with the Yukon Roller Girls in Whitehorse.

"It was amazing to play against (them),” she told the Star. "They are strong players and have a great knowledge of the game.”

Clarke said because her team was smaller in number, some of the Alaskan players had to skate in back-to-back bouts, which hurt them overall.

Losing one player, Amy "Magically Delicious” Spiers to injury late in the bout didn't help, Clarke said.

Spiers landed hard and left the track on a stretcher.

"Magically Delicious is doing OK although still very sore,” Clarke said. "She didn't break anything that we know of. So far her right shoulder was dislocated and the great staff at the Whitehorse hospital put her back together.

"The ride home in the RV was a little bumpy for her but we made it home safe.”

The home bout will be the only one of the year for the Yukon Roller Girls, who are now entering their fourth season.

"We recognize that people just want to come watch us play and learn about the game,” Agar said. "So one thing that we're doing different this season is we're hosting home scrimmages at the Canada Games Centre.”

The "black and white scrimmages” will resemble intrasquad games at the flexi-hall every month. The first one will take place Oct. 23 at 8:30 p.m.

Agar encouraged fans to "grab a coffee or a tea, or a booster juice and head on up to the stands” to get a close-up look at the growing sport.

With Saturday night's bout being the first of the new season, the public address announcer and event programs both did their best to explain the sport to new fans of the game.

Roller derbies essentially work as follows. Each team places four defensive players and one jammer (point scorer) on the oval track for a jam.

The game begins with the pivots (blocker able to convert to jammer) and blockers skating in front of the jammers in a tight formation.

The jammers race to pass through the pack and create the lead jammer position. The two jammers continue to race around the track and pass the pack, scoring a point for each opponent they lap as long as they pass that player in-bounds and without penalties.

Jammers continue to race and score points for two minutes or until the lead jammer calls off the jam.

Those interested in trying the sport for themselves will have two opportunities before the end of the month.

The first chance will be at Jack Hulland Elementary this Sunday from 5:30 to 7 p.m., while the second opportunity will come Sept. 25 from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at the Canada Games Centre.

No experience is necessary, but newcomers are encouraged to bring $5 or a mouthguard. The next fresh meat intake will be held Oct. 2.

Those interested in becoming a referee or non-skating official should visit http://www.yukonrollergirls.ca.

An officials meeting will be held tonight at the Canada Games Centre Flexi-Hall from 8:30 to 10 p.m.