INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever (1-4) fell to the Las Vegas Aces, 84-80, on Sunday afternoon in what was a back-and-forth affair for 40 minutes in the first of three regular season matchups. Indiana’s defense held the Aces (6-0) to a season-low offensive output and pulled down a season-high 35 defensive rebounds on the night.

The Fever were led by guard Kelsey Mitchell in scoring who notched 22 points on the night. Mitchell’s 14 points in the third quarter alone vaulted her past 2,500 career points. Mitchell ended the night at 2,514 points all-time and trails Katie Douglas with 2,564 points for second all-time in franchise history.

Fever forward NaLyssa Smith finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, snapping a three-game double-double streak, but also surpassed 500 career points on Sunday. Fever guard Erica Wheeler went 3-of-3 from behind the three-point line and contributed a season-high 15 points.

Queen Egbo, Kristy Wallace, Victoria Vivians and Grace Berger came off the Fever bench to outscore Las Vegas, 24-5, in combined bench points. Berger and Vivians each distributed a season-high four assists on Sunday as well.

Indiana clicked early on both ends of the court opening the game against the reigning champions with a 13-6 scoring run. In the highest scoring quarter of the year for the Fever, six Indiana players contributed in the scoring column, going 12-of-19 from the floor as a team. Despite a run of their own in response, the Aces trailed the Fever at the end of the first ten minutes, 28-21.

Both teams returned to the court at a slower offensive pace, with the Aces outscoring the Fever in the second quarter, 17-11. It was the Fever defense that allowed for Indiana to keep its lead as they held Las Vegas to shooting 6-of-18 from the floor. Egbo pulled down four of her nine defensive rebounds in the quarter and tallied five points of her own, as the Fever went to the locker room leading, 39-38. Egbo ended the night with a season-high 10 rebounds to go along with nine points.

Mitchell made the third quarter her own, going 3-of-4 from behind the three-point arc as she rattled off 14 of her team-high 22 points. Indiana maintained its defensive presence and cruised through the third frame, going into the final quarter leading, 63-56.

The Fever started the fourth quarter by extending the lead to 10, its largest of the game, but an Aces 14-3 scoring run beginning at the 7:10 mark allowed Las Vegas to tie the game with 3:23 remaining. Two completed free throws from Alysha Clark would seal the win for the Aces after Mitchell missed a game-tying layup attempt during the Fever’s final offensive possession.

For Las Vegas, A’ja Wilson recorded a double-double with a game-high 27 points and 10 rebounds. Chelsea Gray chipped in 17 points and a game-high seven assists, and Jackie Young contributed 19 points. Indiana held the Aces to 19 percent shooting from behind the three-point arc (4-of-21).

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The Fever return to action at the Chicago Sky on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on the official Indiana Fever Facebook page.