'We're on a mission': Canberra Capitals set for next WNBL test

They've got just a matter of days to find the answer before they take on the WNBL's top-seeded team in the Melbourne Boomers in Traralgon on Saturday.

The Capitals snapped the second-longest losing streak in club history when they secured their first win of the season in a shock upset on Wednesday night, but almost immediately coach Kristen Veal's focus turned to the next task.

Because the season is not over. They've got to get up again.

"We've been working towards the same thing for the whole season, now we've got it, and the test is not to sit back and go 'we've got it, so what else do we need to do?' That's not the case. We do it again," Veal said.

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"Nothing changes. What it does is it releases some of that win pressure, but nothing changes for us. We're on a mission to continue to play our best basketball, week in, week out, with our entire group.

"We're down three players and then Abby [Solway] as a [development player] didn't play. We've still got three players to work back into that mix and we need to continue to play our best basketball.

"It's not necessarily about this season, because at the end of the day, we go on and we've got future WNBL superstars and future Opals, and future international players. This is awesome, but it doesn't change our mission."

Former Capitals coach Paul Goriss said as much when he returned to Canberra's inner sanctum before heading back to the United States ahead of another WNBA season with Atlanta.

Canberra lost 13 in a row during Goriss' second season in charge, before bouncing back to win five of their final six and climb off the bottom of the table. The next two seasons bore two championships.

Capitals players had a pre-planned rest day on Thursday before they return for a light session on Friday ahead of a flight to Melbourne and a two-hour bus trip to Traralgon for a Saturday evening clash with the league leaders.

Melbourne will be without Tess Madgen, who will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, while the Capitals are prepared to back in their crop of emerging talent after Alex Bunton, Alison Schwagmeyer-Belger and Britt Smart missed their breakthrough win.

Veal says the drought-breaking upset means more to her young squad - not one player who featured in Wednesday's game was older than 25 - than a mark in the win column.

"It's not necessarily about the win, but it's about the reward for their work and their commitment, and their continued willingness to show up against all adversity," Veal said.

"We had another three players not play, and they came out and played their best basketball. That's what we've been working to."

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