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Friday, October 3, 2025B Sectionindianapolisrecorder.comBy NORAL PARHAMnoralp@indyrecorder.comThe Indiana Fever%u2019s season of relentless perseverance came to a dramatic, heartbreaking end as the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Fever 107-98 in overtime of Game 5 in the WNBA Semifinals in Las Vegas.For a team that has lived by the motto %u201cwe over me%u201d while battling a historic bevy of injuries all season, the Fever proved their grit by pushing the No. 2 seed Aces to the edge. They forced the extra period even after losing star guard Kelsey Mitchell to a scary leg injury in the third quarter and center Aliyah Boston to a disqualifying sixth foul late in the game.The victory punches the Aces%u2019 ticket to the WNBA Finals, where they will take on the Phoenix Mercury in a seven-game series starting Oct. 3.The Fever%u2019s final stand was a microcosm of their entire campaign: unyielding effort in the face of insurmountable odds. The true challenge began in the third quarter after a back-and-forth first half that ended with the Aces holding a slim 47-45 lead.With 5:05 remaining in the period, Mitchell %u2014 who led the Fever with 15 points at the time and hit all three of her 3-point attempts %u2014 went down with an apparent non-contact leg injury. Teammates immediately shielded her with towels for privacy. A stretcher was brought onto the court, but in a moment of pure determination, Mitchell refused it. Team personnel helped her off the court, unable to bear weight on her left leg. She did not return to the game.The devastating blow of the injury left Indiana%u2019s championship hopes fleeting. However, Fever head coach Stephanie White implored her remaining players in a timeout to %u2018fight for (Mitchell) right now,%u201d urging them to lean on their season-long mantra of %u201cWe over me.%u201dThe Aces stretched their lead to a game-high nine points twice in the third frame, but the Fever simply would not fold. With Mitchell sidelined, veteran guard Odyssey Sims stepped up in a major way, fueling a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback. Sims scored a playoff high 27 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter and overtime. She finished the game making 12 of 13 free throws.The intense final quarter saw the Fever claw back from an eight-point deficit to tie the score 86-86 with 22.5 seconds left on a two-point floater by Sims. However, the team%u2019s comeback suffered another critical blow late when all-star center Aliyah Boston was called for her sixth foul, disqualifying her from the rest of the contest. Boston finished with 11 points, nine defensive rebounds and a game-high 16 total rebounds.In overtime, the depleted Fever could not keep pace with the Aces%u2019 perimeter attack. Las Vegas outscored Indiana 21-12 in the extra five minutes to secure its trip to the WNBA Finals. Aces stars A%u2019ja Wilson and Jackie Young exploded, combining for 67 points, with Wilson leading all scorers with 35 points and Young adding 32 points and a game-high 10 assists.For the Fever, the loss closes the book on a season defined by resilience, as they reached the WNBA Semifinals for the first time since 2015 despite missing six players due to injury entering Game 5, including all-star guard Caitlin Clark.The team%u2019s hardship additions, most notably Sims and Shey Peddy (13 points, 22:04 minutes), repeatedly provided clutch performances, a testament to the culture White instilled. However, the lack of depth %u2014 a direct result of their injury crisis %u2014 proved too much in the end against the Aces, a team boasting five Olympians.Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on Facebook @HorsemenSportsMedia.Aces flush Fever 107-98 in overtime, head to 2025 WNBA FinalsFormer Fever forward NaLyssa Smith (3), who is now with the Las Vegas Aces, and Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) during Game 4 of the WNBA Semifi nals on Sept. 28, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo/David Dixon)Indy Eleven defeats FC Tulsa 2-1The Indy Eleven defeated FC Tulsa 2-1 on September 27, 2025, at Michael A. Carroll Stadium at Indiana University - Indianapolis, near downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photos/Walt Thomas)The Indiana Pacers held media day on September 29, 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The 2025-26 NBA regular season begins for the Indiana Pacers with an NBA Finals rematch against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 23 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. (Photos/Walt Thomas)