Indiana Fever guard Caitlyn Clark made a blunt admission after her team’s tough Game 1 loss in the WNBA playoffs. The Fever’s hopes were crushed as they fell 93-69 to the Connecticut Sun in a game that felt out of reach from the start.

In a brutal moment during the first quarter, Caitlyn Clark took a painful shot to the eye after a collision with DiJonai Carrington. From that point on, Clark battled to find her rhythm, struggling through frustration to finish with 11 points on 4-of-17 shooting, alongside eight assists and four rebounds. It was a tough night for the young star, who never quite seemed able to shake off the hit.

Following the game, Caitlyn Clark didn’t hold back when reflecting on her eye injury and the Fever’s disappointing performance. “Obviously, she got me pretty good, but I don’t think it affected me. I felt like I got good shots, they just didn’t fall,” Clark said, frustration clear in her voice. “Honestly, we just played a crappy game. The flow was completely off, and we couldn’t get into a rhythm.”

It was an uncharacteristic admission from the competitive young star, but her raw honesty reflected the sting of the defeat. Fortunately, Caitlyn Clark didn’t seem too concerned about the hit to her eye, refusing to use it as an excuse for the Fever’s sluggish performance against the Sun. They had struggled against Connecticut all season, finishing with a 1-3 record in the regular season.

After a competitive first quarter, which ended 23-20, the game quickly spiraled out of control for the Fever. The Sun, led by the relentless Alyssa Thomas, who posted a triple-double with 12 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds, kept their foot on the gas and held a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game.

With Game 2 scheduled for Wednesday night, all eyes are on Clark, who seems determined to shake off the loss and be ready to fight. The Fever now face a do-or-die situation, needing a win to extend the series and bring it back home to Indiana.