PORTLAND, Ore. — The Liberty let Tuesday’s game against the Fire slip away in the fourth to suffer their first loss of the season, 98-96.
The Liberty held a seven-point lead at halftime, but the Fire came out hot to start the second half.
The Liberty managed to pull ahead by seven to end the third. Portland didn’t go away. The game was tied four times over the final 4:47.
With the game tied, the Liberty committed a three-second violation with 13.8 seconds left that proved to be lethal.
Sarah Ashlee Barker with the put-back layup at the horn to deliver the Fire their first win in franchise history.
The story of the game had been about the Liberty’s two French players, Marine Johannès and Pauline Astier, whose impact to start this season has been much needed with the team down Sabrina Ionescu (left foot injury) and Satou Sabally (cyst).
Two days after dropping 18 points in the Liberty’s overtime win against the Mystics, Astier set a new career high with 25 points.
Astier joined Ionescu and Rebecca Lobo as the only rookies in franchise history to start their careers with at least 30 points and 10 assists in their first three games.
Johannès is also enjoying the best start to a season in her career as she scored 18 points and sank at least 3 treys for the third consecutive game.
The Liberty’s three other starters finished in double-figure scoring, too.
The Liberty will cap off a stretch of four games in seven days Thursday when they meet the Fire again.
