The Golden State Valkyries are headed to the WNBA Finals after defeating the Las Vegas Aces 87-77 in overtime Friday night and sweeping the defending champions in their best-of-five semifinal series. The Valkyries will host the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 next Saturday, Oct. 17, at Chase Center. It will be the franchise’s first Finals appearance, coming in its second season. Friday’s game in Las Vegas was close for much of the night. The Aces, playing at home, held the lead at halftime, and the teams traded advantages in the fourth quarter before Golden State forced overtime and pulled away. At a watch party at Standard Deviant Brewing in San Francisco’s Mission District, fans in purple celebrated as the final buzzer sounded. Becky Mincio said the team’s run carried meaning beyond the result. “I feel elated, just absolutely buzzed,” Mincio said. “This just means so much for the city and so much for sports.” The Valkyries’ fan culture, known as “Ballhalla,” has become part of the team’s identity. The name nods to Valhalla, the mythological hall associated with the Norse figures from which the team takes its name. Chelsea Locklin said fans at the brewery felt connected to the team even while it played on the road. “It felt like we were still sending the same Ballhalla energy to them in Vegas,” Locklin said. The team reached the playoffs in its 2025 debut season, becoming the first WNBA expansion team to make the postseason in its inaugural year, but lost in the first round to the Minnesota Lynx. Coach Natalie Nakase, who was named WNBA Coach of the Year after that season, previously worked as an assistant with the Aces, helping the team win championships in 2022 and 2023. For fans at Friday’s watch party, the Finals berth also reflected the community that has grown around the team. Season-ticket holder Angelina Zamatia said she had attended every game and was proud of the players. Megan Gerwe said the team’s queer players helped her family feel represented. The Valkyries have drawn strong crowds at Chase Center, with packed games and a growing following since their launch. Now they return home with a chance to contend for a championship, beginning against Atlanta on Oct. 17.