Life offers memorable firsts. The first day of school… a first love. Athletes go through it, as well. The first time they wear their jerseys… the first time they score for their team. Along these lines, three Mercury players are currently in the midst of another first in their professional careers as they set out to achieve any athlete’s ultimate first – a championship.

For rookie DeWanna Bonner and second-year players Ketia Swanier and Brooke Smith, playing this late into the season is all new to them. For the first time, they are experiencing the kind of energy and pressure that makes up the atmosphere surrounding a best-of-three elimination series in the WNBA. They might have been a part of the postseason during their time in college, but it’s tough to compare that to the excitement and difficulty of trying to win a WNBA title.

“You can’t get nervous with the vets we have on our team,” Bonner said. “You’ve got Penny Taylor, Tangela Smith, Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter. So they have already been here and know what it takes. I just try to follow on what they do and learn from them.”

So far these talented women have passed with flying colors. For Bonner, who was named WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year before Game 2 against the Silver Stars, she has been nothing sort of exceptional. Dubbed by her teammates as “The Rook,” Bonner showed no signs of butterflies in her stomach as she averaged 14 ppg on 53-percent shooting, while adding 8.3 rpg in the conference semifinals. Those numbers are vast improvements over what she averaged during the regular season (11.2 ppg, 46% FG, 5.8 rpg) Every time she checks in the game, it seems like the squad even becomes faster, if that were even possible.

“I wasn’t nervous, because we play in fun system with great players,” the 6-4 forward said.

Another playoff first-timer is backup point guard Swanier, who seems to have come into her own in the second half of the season. Although she might not fill up a boxscore like Bonner, her task is equally filled with pressure. She has to make sure that the team maintains its high-octane performance once Head Coach Corey Gaines decides to rest Mercury floor general Temeka Johnson. Swanier has done just that, averaging 13 mpg as Gaines continues to have faith in her.

“I think once I figured out what my job is when I come into the game, everything has become easier for me,” said the former Connecticut Husky. “I just need to keep pushing the ball and look for the open person.”

Swanier credited veteran teammates for her not being nervous in her first playoff game.

“Players like Cappie and Diana help others keep calm because they joke around with us during practices, shootarounds and before the game,” Swanier told PhoenixMercury.com. “It helps us because when you have all this energy build up before the game, they’re there to make sure you don’t get too caught up and just have fun playing basketball.”

Bonner, Swanier and the rest of the “Mighty Mercury” are in Los Angeles for Wednesday’s Game 1 Western Conference Finals matchup, their first since 2007 when they went on to eventually win the WNBA championship. With the mix of veteran players playing alongside anxious yet confident youngsters, the Mercury are setting out to accomplish another first – the first professional sports franchise in Arizona to win multiple championships.