The Washington Mystics battled until the final buzzer but came up just short, falling 78-76 to the Minnesota Lynx on Pride Night presented by Giant at CareFirst Arena.

In front of a crowd celebrating inclusion, community, and the power of showing up for one another, the Mystics turned in another gritty defensive effort against the Lynx. Washington held Minnesota to 78 points, the Lynx's lowest scoring output of the season, and limited them to under 80 points for the second consecutive matchup.

WNBA Player of the Week and All-Star candidate Sonia Citron continued her stellar season with a game-high 28 points, knocking down four three-pointers on an efficient 9-of-14 shooting night. The second-year guard also reached a major milestone, becoming the fastest player in Mystics history to make 100 career three-pointers, accomplishing the feat in just 59 games.

The Mystics also controlled the glass, pulling down 40 rebounds behind another dominant front-court performance. Kiki Iriafen recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Shakira Austin added 11 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the year. It marked the third time this season the duo has each finished with a double-double in the same game.

Despite the result, Washington's defensive intensity and fight were on display throughout the night as the Mystics pushed one of the league's best teams to the wire.