Kate Martin Had Three Words After WNBA History Was Made in Valkyries Game

The Golden State Valkyries capped a 74-57 win against the Connecticut Sun on Monday night with an incredible individual feat: 13-year veteran Tiffany Hayes passed Sheryl Swoopes for 31st on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list with a first quarter layup. The 5-foot-10 shooting guard out of UConn has been a consistent veteran leader for the Valkyries in the team’s inaugural season, and finished with 17 points in front of a roaring Ballhalla crowd at Chase Center in San Francisco.

General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin and the Valkyries staff have filled the roster with a mosaic of players from across the WNBA and international ball, mixing young athletes and seasoned vets for an unprecedented first year. After much of the roster was selected in December’s expansion draft, Hayes came to the Bay Area on her own when she signed as a free agent in February.

Donning headgear since injuring her nose earlier in the season, the masked assassin also added five rebounds and four assists in the victory against the Sun. The Valkyries are above .500 again with a 16-15 record and are inching towards the first playoff appearance for a WNBA expansion franchise in its inaugural season. Four Golden State players scored in double figures on Monday, including standouts Janelle Salaün, Cecilia Zandalasini, and center Iliana Rupert.

Kate Martin, a teammate of Hayes in Las Vegas, was one of the young players selected in the expansion draft. Despite some flashes, Martin has been limited to a smaller role with decreased playing time in recent games. Though she only had three points in sixteen minutes on Monday, Hayes’ accomplishment kept her spirits up.

Martin reposted Hayes’ postgame interview with CBS Bay Area after the victory with a three-word caption:

“Proud of youuu,” she wrote.

Hayes showed deference to Swoopes when speaking postgame saying, “That’s a legend. Shout out to Sheryl Swoopes. It means a lot. I appreciate anybody that comes before me, but that’s definitely dope. I appreciate that.”

She added of Golden State’s win, “Very excited, man. [Making the WNBA Playoffs] is one of our goals this season, and I think we have been on the up and up… Just day by day trying to reach our goals.”

With less than a month to go in the regular season, the Valkyries are now in seventh place, and face the Washington Mystics Wednesday night hoping to add to a two-game winning streak.