Story By: Erin Zollars
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Washington, D.C–
For the Mystics, this season has been about a full team effort and tonight it took an full team effort to hold off one of the best players in the WNBA in Elena Delle Donne and the Chicago Sky, 86-71
The Mystics were led by Stefanie Dolson, who posted both a career high nineteen points, as well as a season high five assists. Dolson shot 53.8 percent from the field and capitalized on being sent to the line, making five of her six free throws.
“Obviously she made shots tonight, but I thought her body language, the last couple days, is really good,” Mystics Head Coach Thibault said. “In practice the other day her team was struggling, and I thought she got them to fight through it a little bit. And that’s a good leadership role for somebody coming off the bench.”
The difference in the game today was the Mystics bench, including the play of Tayler Hill.
Hill scored her team’s first seven points of the fourth quarter, including her final three-pointer with 6 minutes 3 seconds left that stretched the lead to 73-59. Guard Kara Lawson followed with a three-pointer, and the Sky did not come within single digits the rest of the game despite Elena Delle Donne scoring 16 of her game-high 26 points in the fourth.
Ivory Latta added 16 points and led Washington in three-point shooting, making 5 of 7. Her biggest shot of the day came in the final few minutes as she brought the crowd of 7,400 to its feet with three pointer with 1:01 to play that expanded the lead to 84-69. She was also fouled on the play to the delight of the fans, turning the play into a four point swing for the Mystics. Latta also had five of Washington’s season-high 24 assists.