SAN FRANCISCO — For a moment, the Valkyries looked like they were going to extend their winning streak to 10.
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Golden State overcame a low-scoring first half to gain a comfortable nine-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. Second-year point guard Kaitlyn Chen gave the Valkyries a huge spark off the bench to ignite a spirited scoring attack in the second half.
But somehow, the Valkyries fumbled away the game in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,064 at home.
Golden State collapsed in the fourth quarter, conceding a big Washington Mystics run in late in the fourth quarter as it fell 90-82
Chen led all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field
Kayla Thornton added 15 points and Veronica Burton had 12.
Former Stanford standout Kiki Iriafen led all scorers with 23 points and added 12 rebounds for Washington. Sonia Citron had 17 points and six assists.
Early in the third, the Valkyries conceded a 9-0 run to Washington as they went down 10 out of the halftime break.
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The Mystics used their size inside, taking advantage of the Valkyries’ smaller frontcourt, as Iriafen and Lauren Betts were dominant down low.
Everything flipped once Chen got hot.
The former Connecticut standout scored nine points to open the fourth quarter, giving the Valkyries a comfortable cushion.
Golden State went up nine with 4:44 left after Chen hit an acrobatic layup at the rim.
But that would be the last of the Ballhalla crowd’s cheers.
Washington went on a 14-3 run late in the fourth period, capped off by a Iriafen basket, giving the visitors a 82-80 lead.
The Valkyries couldn’t buy a bucket from that point and Washington hit enough free throws to seal a stunning win on the road.
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