Sacramento 79, Washington 76

WASHINGTON, June 11 (AP) -- Nicole Powell scored a season-high 28 points and Kara Lawson added a season-high 22 as the Sacramento Monarchs held on for a 79-76 win over the Washington Mystics on Wednesday night.

Powell's turnaround jumper from the right baseline with 1:18 remaining gave the Monarchs (4-4) the lead for good at 77-75.

After Alana Beard hit one free throw, Lawson made two free throws with 11 seconds remaining to put the Monarchs, who have won back-to-back road games and three of four overall, up by three.

Laurie Koehn's three-point attempt from the left baseline in the waning seconds was short as the Mystics (2-7) dropped their fifth straight game. The Mystics had rallied from a six-point deficit to take a 73-72 lead with 2:56 remaining.

With WNBA president Donna Orender in attendance, Powell connected on 4-of-5 three-pointers and 12-of-19 field-goal attempts overall. Ticha Penicheiro added 10 points for the Monarchs (4-4).

Taj McWilliams-Franklin shot 10-of-11 and led the Mystics with 23 points while Beard had 17 points and a game-high seven assists. Monique Currie added 16 points and first-round pick Crystal Langhorne came off the bench to record her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Trailing 21-18 at the end of the first quarter, the Monarchs strung together a 17-4 run to start the second capped by back-to-back 3-pointers by Lawson and they led 43-37 at halftime.