As the Golden State Valkyries head into Round 2 of the playoffs after a dramatic win on Friday night, the community is using its imagination to express support, including one display with a Halloween theme.
Friday's elimination game was a nail-biter for fans in Ballhalla. The team had trailed the entire game until Veronica Burton made a fast break layup with less than 5 minutes left. From that point on, it was back and forth until the ecstasy of the final buzzer.
"When the buzzer went off, it was an incredible feeling, with the confetti coming down," said Ainsley Rossitto, who was at the game. "It's been amazing, and the culture. You can't walk down the street without seeing someone with a shade of violet on them or a Valkyries logo."
But with the team down 16 points in the third quarter, there were some pretty scary moments in the sudden-death elimination game. And speaking of sudden death, Rossitto and her spouse Sarah Swig have created a Halloween-themed tribute to the Valkyries outside their San Francisco home.
"We wanted to put a spooky spin on it," said Rossitto. "And going into the playoffs, also have some fun. And bring some awareness to the games."
Skeletons dressed in Valks' gear welcome visitors to "Boohalla," and they even found violet-colored candy to offer to passersby. There is a roster of players' names with Halloween puns attached to each. And headstones list the names of rival teams that have already been eliminated from the playoffs — They're calling it the "graveyard of the fallen."
"We just love that it sparks joy for everybody that walks by," said Swig. "It just feels good to be in the community, and everybody's truly excited about it."
It's attracting a lot of attention, including Kennedy Moss and Kaycee Stiles, who saw the display posted on Instagram.
"You see that other people love them the same way you do, and it's great to see because you know that you're not the only one, obviously," said Moss.
"And I just think the Valkyries are showing that women's sports deserve so much more recognition," said Stiles. "And even stuff like this, it's just so, like, nice to see!"
And it helps that the party didn't die Friday night, and that the team survived to play another day.
"We got a little worried last night when the game got a little close," said Swig. "Like, we're going to keep this out through the end of Halloween, but now we get another series, and hopefully three games, if not five, to celebrate with everyone."
The Valkyries are back at Ballhalla Sunday night against the Las Vegas Aces. And with a home record of 17-5 this season, Ballhalla has become a frightful place for visiting teams.
