The Portland Fire celebrated a decisive 75–56 victory over the Washington Mystics, avenging their loss in June that went into four overtimes. German national team player Frieda Bühner delivered an impressive performance off the bench.
Portland laid the groundwork for the comfortable victory with a strong first quarter, leading 28–13 after ten minutes. By the middle of the second quarter, the lead had grown to 43–20. Throughout the entire second half, the Mystics were unable to close the gap to single digits.
Carla Leite led the Fire with 14 points and five assists, while Serah Williams contributed 12 points. Bühner made three of her five three-pointers and added five rebounds to her nine points. Luisa Geiselsöder scored one point and grabbed two rebounds in just under 15 minutes.
Portland’s defense was the decisive factor: Washington shot just 29 percent from the field and made only two of 21 three-point attempts. The Mystics also committed 19 turnovers. Shakira Austin was the hosts’ top performer with 19 points and nine rebounds.
