Valkyries Stun Defending Champion Aces With Sweep, Reach WNBA Finals in Year Two

The Golden State Valkyries needed only two seasons to reach the WNBA Finals. Golden State finished a stunning semifinal sweep of the defending champion Las Vegas Aces on Friday night, winning 87-77 in overtime after trailing by six late in regulation. Kayla Thornton led the Valkyries with 18 points, Gabby Williams scored 16 — including eight in overtime — and Kiah Stokes posted 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks against her former team.

The defining sequence came before overtime. Williams stripped A’ja Wilson and Thornton converted in transition to tie the game at 69 with 1:50 remaining. Veronica Burton then put Golden State ahead before Jackie Young forced overtime. From there, the Valkyries overwhelmed Las Vegas 16-6. Wilson finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds but shot 6-for-19 as the Aces’ bid to add another title ended in a three-game sweep.

Golden State’s rise is the larger story. The Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season in 2025, and now they are the quickest expansion team ever to reach the Finals. They will host Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 on Oct. 17 at Chase Center. With both semifinal series ending in sweeps, the championship matchup arrives with two teams carrying serious momentum — and one second-year franchise already rewriting the expansion-team timeline.