**Update**
The Dream advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals after defeating the Washington Mystics in game two in Atlanta, 101-77.
Lose 90-95 To Atlanta Dream In First Game of Conference Semi-Finals
Mystics Monique Currie surrounded by Atlanta's Dream during Game 1 of the Semi-finals. Photo/W. Barron for DC UrbanSports.
The Mystics improved so much this season. Working the hardest fans have ever seen; moving up from #3, to a #1 standing in the Eastern Conference. They finished up a six-game win streak, their longest. And they reached the Conference Semi-finals.
The team, and the fans were expecting even greater things. Then it happened.
A first game loss to a team that had succumbed to the Mystics' style of WNBA basketball all season long.
“I was very disappointed with our defensive effort,” Plank said. “You can’t give up 95 points. I don’t care if it’s regular season, definitely not the playoffs."
The Mystics have beaten Atlanta 4 out of 5 times during the regular season and have fans wondering what happened this time out.
"They threw some different things at us," said Crystal Langhorne. "Pretty much they outplayed us. They beat us in transition and our defense wasn't up to par."
Offensively, the team got good scoring from the team's top producers, closing a 17 point deficit to within just two points.
Marissa Coleman led the Mystics with 18 points, and Langhorne finished with 16 points and nine rebounds, but it wasn't enough to ward off the Dream team of Coco Miller (21 points) and Angel McCoughtry (28 points).
The Mystics will get a second chance in game two, of a three-game series, on Friday in Atlanta.
“We are confident that we can go into Atlanta and beat this team", said Plank. "We’ve done it the last two times and we are looking forward to Friday night.”
Point guard Alana Beard, sidelined all season with an ankle injury, said on her Twitter page, "Its not a question of how bad you want it. Of course you want it. The question is, what are you willing to do to get it?"
The team must go hard on Friday to do what it takes to bring "it" back to the fans here in D.C.
"We have some business to take care of", tweeted Coleman.
Tipoff's at 7:30 pm. Watch on WNBA's Live Access.
The Dream advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals after defeating the Washington Mystics in game two in Atlanta, 101-77.
Lose 90-95 To Atlanta Dream In First Game of Conference Semi-Finals
The Mystics improved so much this season. Working the hardest fans have ever seen; moving up from #3, to a #1 standing in the Eastern Conference. They finished up a six-game win streak, their longest. And they reached the Conference Semi-finals.
The team, and the fans were expecting even greater things. Then it happened.
A first game loss to a team that had succumbed to the Mystics' style of WNBA basketball all season long.
“I was very disappointed with our defensive effort,” Plank said. “You can’t give up 95 points. I don’t care if it’s regular season, definitely not the playoffs."
The Mystics have beaten Atlanta 4 out of 5 times during the regular season and have fans wondering what happened this time out.
"They threw some different things at us," said Crystal Langhorne. "Pretty much they outplayed us. They beat us in transition and our defense wasn't up to par."
Offensively, the team got good scoring from the team's top producers, closing a 17 point deficit to within just two points.
Marissa Coleman led the Mystics with 18 points, and Langhorne finished with 16 points and nine rebounds, but it wasn't enough to ward off the Dream team of Coco Miller (21 points) and Angel McCoughtry (28 points).
The Mystics will get a second chance in game two, of a three-game series, on Friday in Atlanta.
“We are confident that we can go into Atlanta and beat this team", said Plank. "We’ve done it the last two times and we are looking forward to Friday night.”
Point guard Alana Beard, sidelined all season with an ankle injury, said on her Twitter page, "Its not a question of how bad you want it. Of course you want it. The question is, what are you willing to do to get it?"
The team must go hard on Friday to do what it takes to bring "it" back to the fans here in D.C.
"We have some business to take care of", tweeted Coleman.
Tipoff's at 7:30 pm. Watch on WNBA's Live Access.
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