Washington Mystics fall to Los Angeles Sparks in closely contested matchup

The Washington Mystics returned home for a matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday night. It was a close, back-and-forth game throughout, but the Mystics came up short.

After two late shots by guard Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles picked up a 92-87 win inside CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C., dropping Washington to 3-4 on the season.

The two teams were evenly matched as the largest lead in the first half came when the Mystics held a 24-17 advantage. However, the Sparks came fighting back, taking a 42-37 lead at halftime.

Los Angeles continued that momentum into the second half, remaining in control of the lead. A run in the fourth quarter allowed the team to separate itself from the Mystics, leading 75-66 with just under seven minutes to play.

With a 3-pointer by forward Michaela Onyenwere, Washington managed to cut into its deficit and narrow the lead down to 77-72. It even managed to tie the game at 81-81 behind a pair of free throws by center Shakira Austin.

But Los Angeles pulled away again as time expired in the fourth quarter to secure the five-point road victory.

The Mystics were led by Austin, who scored 25 points, while guard Sonia Citron and forward Kiki Iriafen chipped in with 21 and 13 points, respectively. The team shot 51% from the field and 23% from 3-point range.

Meanwhile, the Sparks were powered by Wheeler with 21 points. Forward Nneka Ogwumike was right behind at 20 points, and Los Angeles shot 50% from the field and 30% from 3-point range as a team.