Sparks Season Ends in Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. (August 23, 2018) – After traveling 4,843 miles in four days from Connecticut to Los Angeles and to Washington D.C., the Sparks fell flat and saw their season come to an end in the second round of the playoffs as the Mystics won 96-64.

Alana Beard answered Kristi Toliver to open scoring for both teams as the Sparks went on an 8-0 run capped by a Beard steal and score to take an 8-2 lead. The Mystics answered with a 15-5 run to up 17-13, getting out in transition. The Sparks struggled to make jump shots in the first quarter, and went into the second quarter down 27-16.

The Mystics continued where they left off by starting the second quarter on a 10-6 run forcing a timeout from Brian Agler. Essence Carson hit a 3-pointer out of the timeout, but Natasha Cloud answered with her second triple of the game. Parker kept the Sparks within striking distance during the first part of the second quarter, scoring 13 points in the first half on 6-for-13 for the field after scoring just two in Tuesday’s first-round win over the Lynx.

But no one else on the Sparks could get going as the Mystics got at least five first half points from all five starters. Tiana Hawkins, who had 10 first half points, hit a 3-pointer to give the Mystics their largest lead of the game 48-29 and they
extended it to 50-29 going into the break. Elena Delle Donne led the Mystics with 13 points in the first half.

The Sparks started the second half with a triple from Parker, but the Mystics came out just as hot, getting another three from Cloud as well as Ariel Atkins’ second 3-pointer of the game. With 3:04 left in the third quarter, the Mystics led 68-42 and a Toliver triple put the Mystics up 73-44; they led 75-46 after three quarters.

The Sparks started the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run, but the Mystics answered right back with a 10-4 run to push the lead to 87-59 with 3:24 left to run away. The Mystics advance to play the No. 2 seed Atlanta Dream in the WNBA semifinals.

The game was played at the Charles E Smith Center on the campus of George Washington University due to renovations at Capital One arena and drew just 3,548.