ATLANTA — The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream in Game 6 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena on Wednesday, capturing the league title in their first season as an expansion franchise. The result marked an unprecedented feat in modern women's professional basketball.

The Valkyries rode strong perimeter shooting and defensive intensity through the postseason to secure the victory. Golden State's run stunned a league that had expected a lengthy rebuild for any first-year team, as no expansion franchise in WNBA history had reached the Finals, let alone won a championship, in its inaugural campaign.

The Dream, playing before a sellout crowd, fought to extend the series but could not overcome the Valkyries down the stretch. The victory delivers an immediate trophy to Golden State's ownership, which had positioned the Valkyries as a flagship investment in women's sport in the Bay Area since the franchise's launch.