The Washington Mystics weathered the Storm in Seattle, showing poise, toughness, and just the right amount of flair in crunch time to pull off a 74-69 win over the Seattle Storm on Sunday at Climate Pledge Arena.

The victory marked Washington’s third straight, matching its longest win streak of the season, and its seventh double-digit comeback for a team that refuses to back down.

Washington got off to a strong start, setting the tone defensively while attacking the paint on offense. Rookie All-Star Kiki Iriafen came out aggressive, scoring six points on 3-of-3 shooting and grabbing three rebounds.

Defensively, the Mystics held Seattle to just 3-of-18 shooting in the opening quarter to take a 16-10 lead after one.

Seattle responded in the second. Ezi Magbegor scored seven early points in the quarter to help the Storm go on a 10-4 run and eventually grab a 26-22 lead. But the Mystics answered with a 9-2 burst to close the half, fueled by rebounding and physical play inside. Iriafen and Shakira Austin combined for 12 boards in the first half, and Washington went into the break up 31-28.

The third quarter was a back-and-forth battle with eight lead changes. Stefanie Dolson opened the half by sinking her 100th career three-pointer as a Mystic, but Seattle caught fire midway through the quarter. Tiffany Mitchell knocked down a pair of threes during a 16-7 Storm run that put Washington in a 10-point hole. Still, the Mystics managed to rally from a 50-40 deficit late, closing the quarter strong and trimming the score to 55-47 heading into the fourth.

Magbegor briefly pushed Seattle’s lead back to 10 with a triple to start the fourth, but the Mystics went to work. Brittney Sykes scored twice at the rim and Iriafen added a strong drive to pull Washington within four. Moments later, rookie All-Star Sonia Citron drilled back-to-back buckets, including a clutch 25-foot three, to give the Mystics a 62-61 lead.

The final minutes turned into a back-and-forth fight. Four lead changes later, Sug Sutton gave the Mystics a 70-67 edge with 1:42 to play. Seattle cut it to one, but Sykes delivered again, driving through traffic for a clutch layup before sinking two free throws to ice the win.

Final score: 74-69, Mystics. A hard-fought win, a third straight victory, and another reminder that this team doesn’t go away quietly.

Game Notes

Sykes continued her strong play, leading the team with 19 points, four rebounds, and four assists in the win. She has now scored in double figures in three consecutive games and has reached the 15-point mark in 11 contests this season. She's also been a consistent playmaker, dishing out at least four assists in four of her last five outings.

"I think our team has done a great job in the fourth quarter since the start of the season," said Sykes postgame. "I’d say we’ve been poised and confident, especially on the defensive end. We know how to get stops and then execute on the other end offensively.” 

Rookie forward Kiki Iriafen had another standout performance, recording her seventh double-double of the season. With that, she surpassed Mystics legend Chamique Holdsclaw for the most double-doubles by a rookie in franchise history. Iriafen, who leads all WNBA rookies in double-doubles, has now scored in double figures in three straight games.

“She’s had her head down, focused, and knows exactly what she wants, where she likes the ball, how to get to the bucket, how to get a stop on the defensive end," said Aaliyah Edwards on Iriafen. "She’s been playing for her teammates and becoming more of a playmaker, too. So it’s well deserved for her to be an All-Star, both her and Sonia. We’re definitely going to be cheering for them.”

Citron added 17 points to the effort, continuing to make her mark in her debut season. She’s now reached double figures in four of her last six games and has scored 10 or more points in 18 games overall this year, leading all WNBA rookies and tying for the third-most among all players.

Dolson, following her personal milestone, 100th career three-pointer as a Mystic, became just the 18th player in franchise history to achieve that feat, and only the fifth to do so since 2020. Dolson also pulled down a season-high seven rebounds.

The win improved the Mystics' record to 7-3 over their last 10 games. Washington has now won four of its last five road games against Seattle. In this edition, they dominated in several key areas, out-rebounding the Storm 36-29, winning the battle in the paint 48-30, and dishing out more assists 19-13.

The defense was also locked in, forcing 17 Seattle turnovers and converting them into 17 fast-break points. Washington made 22 trips to the free-throw line, making it their 17th game this season with 20 or more free throw attempts, a league best. The Mystics held the Storm to just 14 points on 29.4% shooting. It was the seventh time this season they've limited an opponent to 15 or fewer points in the fourth quarter.

Washington will remain on the West Coast for its next game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday night with tip-off at 10 PM EST.