Sophie Cunningham Conveys 'Gut Punch' Feeling of Fever Loss Without Caitlin Clark

Fever standout Sophie Cunningham sent a strong message about what Wednesday's defeat to the Mystics felt like.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) reacts to the action Tuesday, May 20, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Indiana Fever fell to 2-3 on the 2025 WNBA season after losing to the Washington Mystics by a score of 83-77 on Wednesday.

Of course, the Fever were not at full strength in this game, as this marked the first contest that star guard Caitlin Clark would be missing because of the left quad strain she suffered. And her absence was keenly felt by Indiana, as they didn't look nearly as smooth and fluid on offense as fans have come to expect when No. 22 is on the court.

One player who clearly struggled without Clark dishing her the ball is Sophie Cunningham, who finished the defeat with just 2 points and didn't record a field goal while playing 20 minutes.

Cunningham and Kelsey Mitchell spoke with the media after the game and conveyed how Wednesday's loss felt.

"I think this was kind of a gut punch for us," Cunningham said after asserting that the team needs to turn the page about not having Clark, because that's the reality at the moment. "We're gonna come back tomorrow at practice more focused, more energy. We know where we want to be at the end of the season, but we're not just gonna get there."

Kelsey Mitchell later added, "We got punched in the mouth early, it's kind of humbling. Because it goes to show where you need to be," per the Fever's YouTube account.

Indiana will look to bounce back from this loss when they play the (still winless) Connecticut Sun at home on May 30.