New York Liberty hand San Antonio Silver Stars their first road loss; Win by 81-75 - WNBA Recap
Cappie Pondexter scored 19 points and dished out five assists as New York Liberty edged past the San Antonio Silver Stars 81-75 on Friday night at Prudential Center.
It was San Antonio’s first road defeat in five games this season. The Silver Stars’ defeat also snapped their three-game winning streak. However, they are still heading WNBA’s with a 7-2 record.
Plenette Pierson scored 10 of her 14 points in last four minutes of the fourth quarter and pinned 6 of 6 free throws in 18 minutes as New York won its second consecutive game at Prudential Center - their home for the next three
seasons.
Pierson said, "I'm a veteran in this league. I have been there, done that many times before," "It's not how you play the entire game, it is how you finish. I knew in order to help my team get a win I had to come in there and probably
play big minutes and make good baskets. My teammates found me in great positions."
Nicole Powell has 13 points and four rebounds while Kia Vaughn ended with 11 points and seven rebounds for Liberty, who have won three of their previous four games.
New York played the game without Essence Carson, who is suffering from a traumatic iritis to her right eye. The 24-year-old guard is expected to return to the floor in Friday’s game. Danielle Adams came off the bench to lead San
Antonio with 19 points and four rebounds while Becky Hammon and Sophia Young posted 16 points each. Young also grabbed eight rebounds in the loss.
Liberty were the more aggressive on the night. They reduced the Silver Stars to a 34.2 percent from the field and contested them to a 7-of-30 from beyond the arc. In comparison, they shot at 49.1 percent from the field and also
knocked down 7-of-13 from downtown.
With the win, New York maintained their third position in the Eastern Conference.
Liberty kept pressure on the visiting team right from the start as they held a 19-13 lead with 02:47 to go in the first quarter. Adams then drove to the rim and Perkins nailed a three-pointer to cut the deficit to one, 19-18. Liberty
however went on a 5-2 run in the last 51 seconds of the quarter to take a 24-20 advantage into the second.
Quanitra Hollingsworth hit a pair of free throw with 06:17 remaining in the second quarter and stretched New York’s lead to ten points, 34-24, spurring the biggest cheer of the night. However, San Antonio found some momentum late
in the second period and cut the margin to five, 39-34, at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Silver Stars appeared on the verge of blowing the game open with an 11-4 run for a 45-43 lead. Vaughn layup at the 2:07 mark again gave New York a two-point lead, but Jayne Appel’s three point play put
the Silver Stars ahead by 53-52, heading into the final period.
The see saw battle continued in the final frame. Pierson responded with a lay-up and Pondexter hit a pair of free throw to give New York a 71-68 lead with 03:39 to go in the fourth quarter, however Hammon's three-pointer that tied
the game at 71-71.
New York then scored the next four points to make it 75-71 with about three minutes left. San Antonio kept on fighting though and managed to make it a two-point contest, 77-75, with 02:05 to go in the game. Pierson’s however sealed
the game in the clutch with two consecutive lay-ups.
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