Golden State Valkyries Win First WNBA Finals Game

The Golden State Valkyries just made history, and their fans showed up in force to celebrate.

On Saturday, the two-year-old team took Game 1 of the WNBA Finals at Chase Center, beating the Atlanta Dream 68-64. It was the first Finals game ever played in San Francisco, and the purple-clad crowd at "Ballhalla" made sure everyone knew it.

From custom outfits to face paint to three-month-old Anna Schuh in her team gear, fans transformed the arena into a sea of Valkyries pride. Unlike typical Warriors playoff games, nearly every single attendee wore their playoff shirt, creating a wall of purple that could be felt throughout Mission Bay.

The game itself tested everyone's nerves. After a brutal third quarter where the team managed just nine points, the Valkyries could have folded. Instead, they roared back in the fourth quarter with the kind of resilience that defines championship teams.

Gabby Williams carried Golden State to victory as the only player to score in double digits. She finished with 26 points, dragging her team across the finish line when it mattered most. The crowd's celebration was so loud that players were seen plugging their ears as they headed to the locker room.

Before tipoff, the energy was already electric. Fans had their shoes signed outside the arena, posed for photos in creative costumes, and got Valkyries face paint. Singer Goapele performed the national anthem, and EGOT winner Rita Moreno led the crowd in a rousing GSV cheer.

The Ripple Effect

This win represents more than one team's success. The Valkyries are proving that women's professional basketball can thrive in the Bay Area with the same passion and sellout crowds as their NBA counterparts. Young girls in the stands watched players who look like them compete at the highest level, seeing what's possible when opportunity meets talent.

The atmosphere at Chase Center showed that fans are hungry for women's sports when given the chance to support them. Every rally flag waved, every cheer shouted, and every creative costume worn sent a message: this community is all in.

Game 2 tips off Monday as the Valkyries look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead before heading to Atlanta.