Phoenix Mercury head home with a split on first road trip of the season

After Phoenix battled through an emotional and high-energy matchup Saturday against the Las Vegas Aces, the Mercury ran into a different style against the Valkyries, who fed off the home crowd on opening night. Golden State dominated on both ends of the floor, including opening up an 18-point lead in the first half.

Despite falling behind early, Phoenix regained momentum to start the second half and cut the deficit to a one-possession game by the end of the third quarter. Eventually, the Valkyries took advantage of Mercury foul trouble and continued applying defensive pressure to seal the win.

May 10, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Jovana Nogic (29) gestures after making a three-point basket against the Golden State Valkyries during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said the atmosphere and physical toll eventually caught up with his team late in the loss after coming into San Francisco only 24 hours removed from being in Las Vegas the day before.

“I thought we battled back and did that,” Tibbetts said. “Maybe we just kind of ran out of gas a little bit, but this is a tough place to play, especially on opening night.”

While the loss stings, Phoenix heads back home 1-1 to start the season, something Tibbetts acknowledged he was “happy” with.

Adding her name to a legendary rookie list 👑 pic.twitter.com/YhcKmIal4j

— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) May 11, 2026

The stretch brought a lot for the Mercury to work on, but also plenty to celebrate.

Alyssa Thomas secured her first double-double this season and flirted with a triple-double, while Natasha Mack hit her first career 3-pointer. Jovana Nogic scored double figures in her first two career games, and Noemie Brochant and Kiana Williams continued to show they can be lethal shooters from the bench.

May 10, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward-guard DeWanna Bonner (right) drives against Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) during the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The response in the third quarter also could become important as the Mercury continue to build chemistry and consistency during the opening stretch of the season. It offered an early reminder that WNBA games can demand different approaches from night to night, while also providing positives that go beyond the record.