The Golden State Valkyries vs Seattle Storm match player stats from May 8, 2026 show a 91-80 Valkyries win at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The game was the 2026 regular season opener for both teams. Golden State came in fresh off a playoff run in its inaugural 2025 season, while Seattle was also looking to build on a 23-21 record from the year before.
Seattle was without forward Ezi Magbegor, who was ruled out for at least six weeks with a right foot injury, along with Katie Lou Samuelson and rookie Awa Fam. Golden State had center Iliana Rupert unavailable. New Valkyries wing Gabby Williams made her debut against her former team. Golden State outshot Seattle from three point range and controlled the game from the opening tip through a decisive fourth quarter run.
Match Overview Table
| Detail | Information |
| Date | May 8, 2026 |
| Venue | Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA |
| Competition | WNBA Regular Season, Week 1 |
| Final Score | Golden State Valkyries 91, Seattle Storm 80 |
| Records After Game | Golden State 1-0, Seattle 0-1 |
Pre-Match Context
Golden State entered its second season looking to carry over momentum from a playoff berth in its expansion year. The Valkyries had already beaten Seattle 78-76 in their lone preseason game on April 25 at Chase Center. Seattle also made the playoffs in 2025 and wanted to open the new season with a home win. Gabby Williams, who spent four seasons with the Storm before signing with Golden State in April, played her first game against her former team.
Seattle went into the opener without Ezi Magbegor, a key frontcourt piece who suffered a foot injury during FIBA World Cup qualifying play with Australia. Golden State also had two players on its injury report, with center Iliana Rupert unavailable for the contest.
Quarter by Quarter Score Table
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Golden State Valkyries | 23 | 26 | 20 | 22 | 91 |
| Seattle Storm | 24 | 17 | 12 | 27 | 80 |
Quarter by Quarter Breakdown
First Quarter
Seattle opened strong and led 24-23 after the first quarter. Flau’jae Johnson and Dominique Malonga both scored early for the Storm. Golden State stayed close behind contributions from Kayla Thornton and Veronica Burton, setting up a tighter second quarter battle.
Second Quarter
Golden State outscored Seattle 26-17 in the second quarter to take a 49-41 lead into halftime. Janelle Salaun and Kaitlyn Chen provided scoring off the bench, and Golden State’s three point shooting began to separate the two teams. Seattle’s offense cooled during the period.
Third Quarter
The Valkyries extended their advantage, winning the third quarter 20-12 to lead 69-53 heading into the fourth. Golden State’s bench continued to produce points while Seattle struggled to find consistent scoring, managing just 12 points in the frame.
Fourth Quarter
Seattle rallied late, outscoring Golden State 27-22 in the fourth quarter, but the deficit was too large to overcome. Natisha Hiedeman and Zia Cooke helped cut into the lead, yet the Valkyries closed out the 91-80 win behind their first half cushion.
Team Stats Comparison Table
| Stat | Golden State | Seattle |
| Field Goal % | 42% (31-74) | 41% (26-63) |
| Three Point % | 41% (15-37) | 35% (9-26) |
| Free Throw % | 64% (14-22) | 70% (19-27) |
| Turnovers | 9 | 14 |
| Total Rebounds | 35 | 41 |
Key Numbers That Decided the Game
The numbers show Golden State won this game from three point range and by taking care of the ball. The Valkyries made 15 threes to Seattle’s 9, a difference that outweighed Seattle’s edge on the boards.
- Golden State made 15 of 37 three pointers compared to 9 of 26 for Seattle.
- The Valkyries committed only 9 turnovers against Seattle’s 14.
- Golden State led for 72% of the game while Seattle led for only 25%.
- Golden State’s largest lead reached 20 points, while Seattle’s largest lead was 7.
- Seattle out-rebounded Golden State 41 to 35 but could not close the scoring gap.
Full Box Score — Golden State Valkyries
Golden State’s win was built on bench scoring, with Janelle Salaun and Kaitlyn Chen combining for 34 points off the bench. Veronica Burton ran the offense with 16 points and a team-high 6 assists, and Kiah Stokes anchored the defense with 3 blocks.
Scoring and Shooting
| Player | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT |
| Kayla Thornton | 13 | 4-9 | 3-6 | 2-2 |
| Gabby Williams | 7 | 2-9 | 1-5 | 2-3 |
| Kiah Stokes | 6 | 3-5 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| Tiffany Hayes | 1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 1-2 |
| Veronica Burton | 16 | 5-13 | 2-4 | 4-5 |
| Cecilia Zandalasini | 8 | 3-5 | 1-3 | 1-2 |
| Laeticia Amihere | 3 | 1-3 | 0-1 | 1-3 |
| Janelle Salaun | 20 | 7-16 | 5-11 | 1-3 |
| Kaila Charles | 3 | 1-2 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| Miela Sowah | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| Kaitlyn Chen | 14 | 5-10 | 2-3 | 2-2 |
| Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Team Total | 91 | 31-74 | 15-37 | 14-22 |
Rebounds, Playmaking and Defense
| Player | REB | AST | STL | BLK |
| Kayla Thornton | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Gabby Williams | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Kiah Stokes | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Tiffany Hayes | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Veronica Burton | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Cecilia Zandalasini | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Laeticia Amihere | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Janelle Salaun | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kaila Charles | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Miela Sowah | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaitlyn Chen | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Team Total | 35 | 22 | 5 | 5 |
Full Box Score — Seattle Storm
Dominique Malonga led all scorers with 21 points and pulled down a team-high 8 rebounds in her second WNBA game. Zia Cooke and Jade Melbourne added 15 and 13 points off the bench, but Seattle’s poor three point shooting and 14 turnovers kept the Storm from closing the gap.
Scoring and Shooting
| Player | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT |
| Jordan Horston | 0 | 0-4 | 0-2 | 0-0 |
| Stefanie Dolson | 6 | 2-3 | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Dominique Malonga | 21 | 8-15 | 0-2 | 5-9 |
| Natisha Hiedeman | 6 | 2-7 | 0-4 | 2-3 |
| Flau’jae Johnson | 12 | 3-12 | 3-7 | 3-3 |
| Mackenzie Holmes | 2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Grace VanSlooten | 5 | 1-2 | 1-1 | 2-2 |
| Lexie Brown | 0 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-0 |
| Zia Cooke | 15 | 5-12 | 2-3 | 3-5 |
| Jade Melbourne | 13 | 4-5 | 2-3 | 3-3 |
| Team Total | 80 | 26-63 | 9-26 | 19-27 |
Rebounds, Playmaking and Defense
| Player | REB | AST | STL | BLK |
| Jordan Horston | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stefanie Dolson | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Dominique Malonga | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Natisha Hiedeman | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Flau’jae Johnson | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Mackenzie Holmes | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grace VanSlooten | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lexie Brown | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Zia Cooke | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Jade Melbourne | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Team Total | 41 | 16 | 4 | 5 |
Katie Lou Samuelson (right knee), Ezi Magbegor (right foot) and Taina Mair (coach’s decision) did not play for Seattle.
Game Leaders / Top Performers
Janelle Salaun paced Golden State with 20 points off the bench, tying a career high with five made three pointers on 7 of 16 shooting. Her scoring anchored a franchise record 48 bench points for the Valkyries. Veronica Burton controlled the game with 16 points and a team-high 6 assists in 31 minutes. Dominique Malonga was the game’s leading scorer with 21 points and matched Kayla Thornton for game-high rebounding honors with 8 boards. Jade Melbourne dished a team-high 3 assists for Seattle in a losing effort.
| Category | Golden State | Seattle |
| Points | Janelle Salaun, 20 | Dominique Malonga, 21 |
| Rebounds | Kayla Thornton, 8 | Dominique Malonga, 8 |
| Assists | Veronica Burton, 6 | Jade Melbourne, 3 |
Starting Lineups Table
| Position | Golden State Valkyries | Seattle Storm |
| Forward | Kayla Thornton | Jordan Horston |
| Forward | Gabby Williams | Stefanie Dolson |
| Center | Kiah Stokes | Dominique Malonga |
| Guard | Tiffany Hayes | Natisha Hiedeman |
| Guard | Veronica Burton | Flau’jae Johnson |
Injury Report Table
| Player | Injury | Status |
| Iliana Rupert (GS) | Pregnancy, season-long | Out |
| Ezi Magbegor (SEA) | Right foot | Out |
| Katie Lou Samuelson (SEA) | Right knee | Out |
| Taina Mair (SEA) | Coach’s decision | Out |
| Awa Fam (SEA) | International commitments | Out |
Seattle’s absences hit hardest in the frontcourt, with Magbegor’s six-week timeline removing a key rim protector before the season even started. Golden State was down one rotation piece in Rupert but still fielded a full bench that outscored Seattle’s reserves by a wide margin.
Season Series and Head to Head
Golden State has controlled the series between the two teams since 2025, winning five of seven meetings, including the May 8 game covered here.
| Date | Winner | Score |
| June 14, 2025 | Golden State | 76-70 |
| July 16, 2025 | Seattle | 67-58 |
| April 25, 2026 (preseason) | Golden State | 78-76 |
| May 8, 2026 | Golden State | 91-80 |
| June 12, 2026 | Golden State | 76-72 |
Conference / League Standings
At the time of this game, both teams were opening their seasons at 0-0, so no standings positioning existed yet for either club in the young 2026 campaign.
| Team | Record Entering Game |
| Golden State Valkyries | 0-0 |
| Seattle Storm | 0-0 |
Broadcast and Stream Information Table
| Detail | Information |
| National Broadcast | ION |
| Tip-off Time | 7:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM ET |
What was the final score of the Golden State Valkyries vs Seattle Storm game?
Golden State Valkyries won 91-80 over the Seattle Storm on May 8, 2026, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Who led the Valkyries in scoring against the Storm?
Janelle Salaun led Golden State with 20 points off the bench, tying a career high with five made three pointers.
Who was Seattle’s top performer in the loss?
Dominique Malonga led all scorers with 21 points and tied for game-high rebounds with 8 in her second career game.
Was Gabby Williams playing against her former team?
Yes, Gabby Williams made her Golden State debut in this game after signing with the Valkyries following four seasons with Seattle.
Which players were ruled out for the Seattle Storm?
Seattle was without Ezi Magbegor, Katie Lou Samuelson and Taina Mair, along with rookie Awa Fam due to international commitments.
How many three pointers did Golden State make in the win?
Golden State made 15 three pointers on 37 attempts, setting up a season-opening bench scoring record for the franchise.
Has Golden State dominated the season series against Seattle?
Yes, Golden State has won five of seven meetings against Seattle since 2025, including three straight through June 2026.
Conclusion
This win gave Golden State a strong start to its second WNBA season and confirmed the value of its offseason additions, particularly Gabby Williams and a deep bench led by Janelle Salaun. For Seattle, the loss exposed early depth issues without Ezi Magbegor and set an early tone for a difficult stretch to open the year. Three point shooting and bench scoring decided the outcome, with Golden State’s reserves outproducing Seattle’s across the board. Golden State moved on to host Phoenix next, while Seattle looked to regroup at home before its next test of the young season.
