On Monday, one of the most anticipated matchups of the week took place at Target Center. The Minnesota Lynx
and Golden State
Valkyries – two of the strongest teams in the league – locked horns for the fourth time this season with the playoffs right around the corner. But while fans circled this game to see if the Valkyries could finally get a win over the Lynx this season, Olivia Miles' teammate Maya Caldwell
ended up stealing the attention long before the game even tipped off.
The 27-year-old Lynx guard turned up to the tunnel in a full Spider-Man fit as the Lynx franchise took to
X
and wrote, "Spider-Woman came through today. ????" Even the league couldn't help but get in on the fun, writing, "Welp, that's one way to make an entrance ????????????," as Caldwell struck Spider-Man poses in front of the cameras.
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But her Spider-Sense did very little to help the Lynx in this game, as the Valkyries finally ended their long-standing drought against Minnesota.
Golden State entered this game 0-3 against the Lynx this season, but that streak came to an end as the Valkyries set the tone early with their defense, taking a 17-16 lead after the first quarter before carrying a 34-32 advantage into halftime.
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Although Olivia Miles and her teammates tried to push back once the second half of the game kicked off, the Valkyries had no intention of letting the game slip as they stretched their lead to 55-48 heading into the fourth quarter, where, behind Cecilia Zandalasini
and her 18-point performance, Golden State secured an 80-66 win.
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The Valkyries' position near the top of the WNBA standings is a reflection of just how balanced their offense has been. Rather than relying on one dominant scorer, Golden State has consistently found contributions from across the roster, and Monday night was another example of that. Five Valkyries players finished in double figures, two of whom came off the bench.
The Lynx, meanwhile, endured one of their roughest offensive nights of the season. Their two leading scorers, Olivia Miles and Napheesa Collier
, managed just 17 points combined, making it nearly impossible for Minnesota to keep pace as Golden State pulled away.
But while this was a disappointing loss for the Lynx, especially with it being their final regular-season matchup against the Valkyries, Minnesota still has plenty to feel good about. The Lynx currently sit atop the WNBA standings and have already secured their spot in the playoffs. Still, this will be a night MVP candidate Olivia Miles
would want to put behind her, as the rookie guard recorded one of her lowest-scoring nights of the 2026 season.
The Lynx will now turn their attention to their next game against the Atlanta Dream
on August 30, as they will look to bounce back and continue building toward the postseason.
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