The New York Liberty lost to the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday, 79-60. Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones were the only Liberty players to reach double digits in scoring, with the former recording 16 points and the latter tallying 18 points.
Sabrina Ionescu struggled in the contest, making just two of her 12 shot attempts for seven points.
Meanwhile, Cecilia Zandalasini dropped 20 points to lead the Valkyries, while Gabby Williams added 16 points. Golden State’s bench also outscored New York’s second unit 30-12, with Tiffany Hayes leading the way with 12 points.
Making matters worse for the Liberty, starting forward Leonie Fiebich was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul in the contest, putting her in line to pay a fine to the WNBA.
Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Fiebich, who struggled in the game and finished with three points on 1-of-7 shooting, received the call after hitting Hayes in the back while going for a rebound. The referees deemed her actions excessive, so her foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1.
Now, due to the increased penalties under the new WNBA collective bargaining agreement, Fiebich is set to be fined $500 for her violation.
Penalties for flagrant fouls follow a point system. A Flagrant 1 foul accounts for one point, while a Flagrant 2 accounts for two points. Each point carries a $500 fine.
Once a player reaches four flagrant foul points, they are automatically suspended for one game. A two-game suspension awaits a player who accumulate six flagrant foul points or is called for a Flagrant 2 while already having three flagrant foul points. The call was Fiebich’s first flagrant foul of the season.
Still, it’s certainly a disappointing turn for Fiebich, who is set to leave the Liberty soon to take part in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. Fiebich has been selected to be part of Germany’s roster when the nation hosts the event in Berlin in September.
