MINNEAPOLIS, May 20 (AP) -- Kara Lawson scored 19 points and the Sacramento Monarchs continued their recent dominance over the Minnesota Lynx with a 74-64 victory Sunday night.

The Monarchs have now won nine straight games against Minnesota, with their last loss coming July 11, 2004, at Target Center. But the defending Western Conference champions had to work for this victory against the West's worst team a year ago.

After taking a 13-point advantage into halftime thanks to 15 second-chance points, Sacramento was outscored 18-10 in the third and saw its lead dwindle to four on three occasions in the final period.

But Lawson hit a pivotal 3-pointer and a pair of free throws in the final 4 minutes to halt Minnesota's momentum and lead Sacramento to its first victory this season.

Nicole Powell scored 14 for the Monarchs, and DeMya Walker was also in double figures with 12.

Last season's rookie of the year Seimone Augustus led all scorers with 28 points for the Lynx despite leaving Saturday's game against Indiana in the fourth quarter with a bruised right quadriceps. She played a game-high 35 minutes.

Minnesota rookie Lindsey Harding, the first-overall pick of the 2007 draft, missed her first 10 shots before converting a three-point play with 19.2 seconds remaining. As a team, the Lynx shot just 31.1 percent from the field and missed 12 of 37 free throws - including seven of 12 in the fourth quarter.