Valkyries control the boards to take the semifinal opener

The Golden State Valkyries opened their WNBA semifinal series with a 71–60 victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Chase Center.

Gabby Williams finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Golden State also received 11 points from Kaitlyn Chen as its bench outscored the Aces’ reserves 27–7.

The rebounding edge was central to the result. The Aces’ official recap records a 52–25 advantage in player rebounds for Golden State, plus 20 points from the Valkyries’ 17 offensive rebounds. Golden State’s own report also lists its total at 52.

That gave Golden State more chances to score on an afternoon when its opponent struggled to find a rhythm. Las Vegas shot 33.9 percent from the field, while Kiah Stokes collected 14 rebounds for the Valkyries.

Golden State now leads the best-of-five series 1–0. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 7, at Chase Center, with a 6:30 p.m. Pacific start.

For Bay Area fans, the opening game supplied a clear theme: Golden State’s work on missed shots was every bit as important as the baskets that made the highlights.

Sources: Valkyries Recap; Aces Recap