Janelle Salaün's 22-Point Bomb Gutted Our Storm at Climate Pledge, and Nobody Is Happy About It

Alright, 12s, let's just rip off the band-aid. Our Seattle Storm took a gut-wrenching 76-72 loss to the Golden State Valkyries right here at Climate Pledge Arena on Friday night. And let me tell you, this one stings. The biggest thorn in our side? Janelle Salaün. That woman went absolutely nuclear, tying her career high in points with a shocking 22 and draining 5 three-pointers. You just hate to see it happen against your team on your home court.

Salaün's Career Night Made All the Difference

Can we talk about Janelle Salaün for a second? Because she was the absolute difference maker in this game. Tying your career high in both points and made threes against us? That's a brutal performance to watch unfold. Every time the Storm clawed back, it felt like Salaün was there, hitting a crucial shot, specifically from deep. Those five triples weren't just points on the board, they were momentum killers. We pride ourselves on our defense in the Emerald City, but Salaün found a way to light us up, and her performance was undeniably the driving force behind Golden State's win. It’s tough when one player gets that hot and you just can’t cool her down.

A Close One That Just Slipped Away

A 76-72 final score, at home, against the Valkyries? That’s a tough pill to swallow. It tells you this wasn't a blowout, not by a long shot. This was a battle, a dogfight, and we were right there in it until the very end. But those key moments, those critical plays, often boil down to individual performances, and Salaün delivered for Golden State when it mattered most. It's the kind of loss that makes you rewatch the highlights just to torture yourself, picking apart every possession. Losing by four points feels like a missed free throw here, a defensive lapse there, and suddenly the game is gone. We fought, but we didn't quite get over the hump. This one hurts, no doubt about it. We’re still early in the regular season, but every game counts. The Valkyries are heading to face the Sparks on Monday, which means our Storm has a chance to regroup. We need to shake this off, learn from it, and come back stronger. The season is long, and our Storm will be back. We always are.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.