Washington Mystics guard Alana Beard was one point shy of the franchise record in her last game, but it wasn't enough to get her club back in the win column.

She'll try to repeat that performance and help the Mystics avoid their third straight loss on Friday night when they visit the San Antonio Silver Stars.

Beard had a career-high 33 points in Washington's 98-93 loss to Phoenix on Tuesday night, falling one point short of the franchise record set by Chamique Holdsclaw in a loss to Indiana on July 24, 2003. The fifth-year guard out of Duke also set a career mark with six 3-pointers and added a season-high seven assists.

While Beard's performance ranks among the best in Mystics history, Washington (2-4) was outscored 19-6 at the free-throw line in suffering its second consecutive defeat. The Mystics haven't lost three straight since opening last season 0-8.

Though they shot a season-best 60.3 percent from the field Tuesday, the Mystics missed 14 foul shots and have connected on only 60.7 percent this season - nearly 10.0 percent less than any other team in the league.

To make up for their struggles at the line, the Mystics will likely have to rely heavily on Beard, who averaged 22.5 points as Washington split its two games against San Antonio last season.

The Silver Stars (2-3) have also dropped back-to-back games, including a 75-72 defeat against previously winless Houston on Tuesday night. Becky Hammon matched her season highs with 20 points and four 3-pointers and added a season-best seven assists, but the rest of San Antonio's starters shot 29.3 percent (12-for-41) from the field.

That included a sub-par performance from third-year forward Sophia Young, San Antonio's leading scorer at 19.8 points per game. Young was held to 15 points and 4-for-12 shooting Tuesday, and is averaging 14.5 points in her last two games after topping 20 in each of her first three.

Young hopes to rebound with a matchup with the Mystics, against whom she averaged 25.0 points and shot 55.1 percent in 2007.