Kayla Thornton helps Valkyries win 95-79 at home opener

kayla thornton was part of a 95-79 Golden State Valkyries win over the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday evening at Chase Center. The result moved the Valkyries to 2-0, and the home opener also showed why their second season is already being measured by crowd size as much as by score.

95-79 was the final at Chase Center after Phoenix opened with a 7-0 run. Golden State answered with a home-court environment that people inside the building described as loud, upbeat, and unlike other professional sports settings.

Joseph Lewis on the 200-level

Joseph Lewis sold beer from a cart on the 200-level concourse and has worked at Chase Center since the Warriors moved there seven seasons ago. At halftime, he said, "They’re fired up, can’t you tell?"

Lewis also said, "The atmosphere, the energy is here, it’s a good, good vibe." When pressed on how it compared with what he has seen in the building before, he added, "I didn’t want to say it, you said it," and then answered, "But it’s totally different. More upbeat, happier, more fired up, good energy."

Ballhalla and the 18,000-plus

18,000-plus fans came through every game last season, when the Valkyries sold out each night, finished 23-21, and reached the playoffs. That kind of turnout carried into Sunday, where Leighann said, "The atmosphere here is unlike any professional sports anywhere."

Leighann, who said she was originally from Philadelphia and had gone to Eagles games in the 1970s, added that "The crowd is into every single play, but it’s not in any way, shape or form aggressive, in the way that, frankly, going to most men’s professional sports is, where there’s always a level of aggression and machismo." She summed it up plainly: "Going to these games is so much more joyful."

Napa, San Leandro

Ana, a season-ticket holder who drives down from Napa, said, "It’s the best vibe, to come to a game." She added, "Everyone is kind, everyone is nice to each other," before finishing with the line that has become the shorthand around these games: "There’s no place like Ballhalla."

Jhen Peer, who is from San Leandro, wore purple hair for the occasion and tied the evening to a longer wait. "I grew up when we had the [Sacramento] Monarchs," she said. "I always wished we had a team closer, so I’ve been waiting 25 years for this."

The immediate takeaway is simple: the Valkyries are drawing a crowd that turns a regular home opener into a recognizable event, and the 95-79 start suggests the atmosphere is not just decoration. With the team at 2-0 and fans already treating Chase Center like a destination, the standard for every home date now sits higher than a normal second-season story.