In their opening weekend, the Minnesota Strike racked up 34 goals, two wins and a Callahan. And they did it on the road, traveling to Atlanta and Nashville in a demanding weekend to start their 2023 season.
On Saturday night, the Strike traveled to Atlanta to take on the Soul and left with a 13-11 win. They then made their way to Nashville where they beat the Nightshade 21-13.
Captain Nariah-Belle Sims was pleased with the team’s strong and promising start. “It’s always exciting to start off the season strong,” Sims said. “Comparing this double header to last season’s, it was great to come into this season more prepared with time management and more chemistry.”
And it’s true — throw after throw, cut after cut, the chemistry among the Strike shone. It was clear this team is ready to make an impact in the league, and they are doing it in all sorts of ways. And they’ve only played two games.
But it was these two games, back-to-back on the road, that have already established the team as one not to be messed with. With careful swing passes, confidence in deep looks, and trust in each other, (along with free hotel breakfast biscuits, as captain Carly Eckstrom pointed out), the Strike had a weekend to remember.
Strike Fast, Strike First
The team took a calculated, patient approach to disc movement, working around a constant, pesky wind and opposing defenses to find the right times to attack deep. The wind was a presence not to be ignored — especially in Atlanta — and the offense took few risks to start.
With a strong handler set, consisting primarily of Carly Eckstrom, Alicia Carr, Rachel Johnson and Steph Rupp, the team maneuvered downfield easily all weekend long. The handlers were anything but stagnant; swing passes were abundant as they worked the entire width of the field, creating unease among opponents and opening up cutters deep.
Danielle Byers started the scoring for the Strike, receiving her first goal of the season from Sarah Meckstroth. This combination is one we expect to see recurring throughout the year, and they certainly did not disappoint against both Atlanta and Nashville. It was reassuring to see these two on the same line and the chemistry clicking immediately for the offense so early on in the season.
Cutters like Jane Koch, Sarah Meckstroth and Byers powered the engine that was the Strike’s downfield strategy. Their willingness to layout and make big plays on deep looks paired nicely with the team’s offensive approach, and also provided benefit in the way of defensive pressure and turnovers. Koch’s speed and confidence in her bids puts a lot of pressure on opposing teams to stick with her and take no throw for granted.
What was especially notable was the prolific defensive break points the team was able to pile on. The collective ability to shift into an offensive attack on a turn drove a huge amount of momentum that built the team’s leads.
Notable Players
With as busy as a weekend the Strike had, they relied on their strong depth to power them through. It seemed that everyone had an opportunity to shine through early on.
“Everyone on the team pitched in and played their roles well and that combined to create two great team performances,” said Strike captain Carly Eckstrom.
Sims echoed Eckstrom’s statement, chalking much of the team’s success to strong chemistry and a stacked roster: “There is no need to conserve talent when everyone on the team is as talented as they are,” she said. “Trust in ourselves, each other, and our coaches are what allows us to perform.”
While each player offered huge plays and powered the team to two major wins, there were certainly a handful who raised some eyebrows this weekend.
Sarah Meckstroth made her 2023 debut with the Strike in grand fashion, notably hauling in multiple goals and assists in both games. Meckstroth’s vertical certainly didn’t hurt the team reign in a few straying throws caught by the wind, though she also made an impact getting the disc to teammates in the end zone. Her ability to find open space and create space of her own has historically brought her a lot of success, and this weekend was no different.
Jane Koch also made her presence known early on, shutting down opponents with blocks that came out of nowhere. Koch’s speed lurked in the background and put both Atlanta and Nashville on high alert; racking up numerous blocks as well as some goals of her own this weekend, she gave no easy passes on either side of the disc.
The Strike’s weekend culminated in a Callahan, accomplished by Sarah Mondschein. Reading a miscue from the Nashville Nightshade expertly, she quickly jumped to intercept the disc in the team’s endzone, putting the cherry on top of a dominating weekend in the PUL.
Upcoming: Minnesota Strike vs. Indianapolis Red
With huge momentum behind them, the Strike are preparing to have a repeat performance this weekend as they host the Indianapolis Red at Sea Foam Stadium.
In their initial matchup against Indy in 2022, the Strike played well but couldn’t quite keep up with the Red, losing by just a single point. But they have every reason to believe this game will be different.
“We just need to play our game and get better within ourselves, said Eckstrom. “This weekend showed that we have all the ingredients to be unstoppable, we just need to keep building chemistry through more reps so that our gameday recipe cooks up wins consistently.”
The team is already studying film to improve on their past performances, and they are preparing initial strategies against the Red, as well. With two strong wins under their belts, and with Robyn Fennig set to join the team this weekend, the Strike are positioned well for an exciting home opener on Saturday.
(Who's bringing them breakfast biscuits?)
Join us at Sea Foam Stadium at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 to cheer on the Strike! And be sure to subscribe to Wind Chill Talk and follow us on Instagram and Twitter for season-long coverage.
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