WASHINGTON — Cappie Pondexter led the Liberty (2-3) with 20 points, and rookie Anna Cruz added a season-high 12, but it wasn’t enough as they lost to the Mystics, 68-60 in Washington.
The Mystics held Tina Charles to eight points and seven rebounds after the Liberty center had double-doubles in her last three contests.
“They just double-teamed her and Tina ventured out of the post,” Liberty coach Bill Laimbeer said. “She’s learning that teams are going to come at her with two or three players right now, and it’s a little frustrating for her right now. We’re trying to work her way through that one.”
Former Liberty center Kia Vaughn had a season-high 14 points, and rookie Jelena Milovanovic had a season-high 14 for Washington (2-2), which outrebounded New York 41-26 to overcome 16 turnovers.
After the Mystics rapidly yielded a 12-point lead in the third quarter, Milovanovic and Latta hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to put their team ahead 60-54 midway through the fourth.
The Liberty twice closed within four, but Latta hit another 3, this one a pull-up from the right elbow, to make it 67-60 with 27 seconds left.
“Just that whole segment in the fourth quarter, I’m going to be honest with you, I don’t even know what came to me,” Latta said. “When I was walking off the court, somebody was like, ‘The beast mode came out.’ ”
Pondexter scored seven points, including a game-tying 3-pointer, during 12-0 run that made it 44-all in the third quarter of a sometimes chippy, physical contest.