Kate Martin Delivers Raw Reaction to Valkyries’ 1-Point Win Over Mystics

As fascinating as it sounds for an expansion team to chase a postseason spot in Year 1, it’s anything but easy for Golden State. With the sixth-toughest remaining schedule and a lingering road-game curse, the odds haven’t exactly favored the Valkyries. But this group of women looks determined to flip the script. And sure, it took wins that probably had their fans clenching stress balls the entire fourth quarter. What matters is how it ends, though. Exactly what Kate Martin said. 

It hasn’t been easy for the Golden State Valkyries to establish consistency on the road this season. But after back-to-back gritty performances away from home, it’s becoming clear: the Valkyries aren’t leaning on old patterns anymore. Despite losing leading scorer Kayla Thornton to a season-ending injury, and just days after suffering their worst loss of the season, a 31-point blowout at the hands of the league-worst team, the Valkyries managed to bounce back.

Their 68-67 win over the Washington Mystics on Thursday night wasn’t pretty, but it was just enough to secure their second straight road win, bringing them back to a .500 record on the season. And perhaps more importantly, it placed them back in the eighth and final WNBA playoff spot, inching closer to securing a head-to-head tiebreaker over Washington, whom they’ll face two more times this season.

It was a grind-it-out game. After the win, Martin spoke with CBS Bay Area’s Matt Lively and gave an honest, lighthearted reaction when asked if she was tired of these nail-biting finishes. “Oh man, it does make you kind of sick to your stomach, but I don’t get sick of it, that’s for sure,” Martin said. “I think the last couple of games we’ve just found a way to win. It’s hard on the road bringing your own energy, but we’ve been finding a way to win and that’s all that matters.”

Just two nights earlier, the Valkyries had barely escaped with a 77-75 win over the Atlanta Dream. That victory came after they surrendered a 19-6 fourth-quarter run before Cecilia Zandalasini hit a game-winning shot with three seconds left in regulation. On Thursday, a similar story played out but with a different ending script.

When the Valkyries needed someone to steady the ship, Kate Martin answered. She finished with a team-high 14 points, along with five rebounds and three assists, providing crucial minutes that allowed Golden State to build an early cushion and lean on their defense down the stretch. Martin’s impact was immediate. Midway through the first quarter, she checked in and sparked a 15-2 Valkyries run, helping the team stretch their lead to as much as 13.

Golden State had maintained control for most of the first half, holding a double-digit lead behind a balanced team effort. But the Mystics began chipping away in the third quarter, led by a 10-point burst from Sonia Citron. The Valkyries saw their lead shrink to just seven heading into the final frame. Then came the final swing. Washington took its first lead of the night when Emily Engstler nailed a corner three with just over seven minutes remaining in regulation.

From there, the game turned into a possession-by-possession battle, with both teams struggling to find rhythm offensively. Temi Fagbenle briefly put the Valkyries back in front, 66-65. But Golden State didn’t score another field goal until Janelle Salaün’s layup with just under a minute to go, a basket that would ultimately stand as the game-winner. Even then, the Mystics had a chance to steal the win. After a late turnover gave Washington the ball with 2.9 seconds remaining, Brittney Sykes drove and floated up a potential game-winner, but the shot bounced out.

Next up, the Valkyries face the Chicago Sky. 

Kate Martin & Co. hit the windy city as Valks test fatigue against the wounded Sky

The Valkyries might be battered, bruised, and borderline exhausted, but one thing they’re definitely not is beaten. Martin made that loud and clear after their nail-biting 79-78 win over the Mystics. “It’s always hard to win on the road,” she admitted. And this was just one stop in what’s been a relentless stretch – six games in ten days, including a brutal back-to-back. Fatigue is real.

“Because we’re exhausted,” coach Natalie Nakase bluntly said when asked why the team’s been giving up leads late. And it’s not just about minutes piling up, it’s who they’re missing. No Thornton, done for the season. Monique Billings is still sidelined with an ankle issue. Cecilia Zandalasini didn’t play against Washington. That leaves GSV hustling through every possession with little room to breathe.

Next up is the Chicago Sky, a team that’s sinking fast but still tricky. They’ve dropped six straight and will be without Angel Reese, who’s been a walking double-double machine. Ariel Atkins is out too, and both Hailey Van Lith and Michaela Onyenwere are questionable. On paper, the Valkyries should have the edge. 

But at this point, every game feels like survival mode. This stretch is testing everyone, almost every team. But ‘finding a way to win’ might just be the theme of the Valkyries’ season. Let’s see if they can take the next one home!