Liberty falters down stretch, loses to Atlanta

In the month and a half since the beginning of its post-All-Star break resurrection, the Liberty has created quite the heart-thumping identity for itself - slim margins, fourth-quarter surges and the power of home- court advantage.

It was a winning cocktail that at times has seemed almost magical. Last night, though, it just wasn't enough.

Iziane Castro Marques' fast- break layup with 31 seconds left thwarted the Liberty's fourth-quarter comeback as the Atlanta Dream took Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, 81-75, at Madison Square Garden.

Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Tuesday in Atlanta.

With the Liberty ahead by one, Essence Carson fouled Atlanta's Angel McCoughtry as she drove to the basket, and McCoughtry (21 points) made both foul shots with 44.2 seconds left to put the Dream up 76-75.

That call, Cappie Pondexter said, "depleted our focus mentally. It was crucial.

"I don't care if I get fined," said Pondexter, disagreeing with what she believed was overzealous officiating. "This is the Eastern Conference finals . . . You've got to let teams fight it out."

The Liberty mostly fell apart after that, as a turnover by Taj McWilliams-Franklin with 26 seconds left, Marques' layup and Atlanta free throws put away the game.

"We made costly mistakes in the last two minutes that cost us the game," coach Anne Donovan said. "We had two turnovers. We fouled when we shouldn't have fouled."

Shortly before that, it looked as if the Liberty might again pull out an improbable win.

Pondexter (24 points) grabbed the rebound of a missed foul shot and was fouled on the subsequent fast break. Her first shot tied the score at 74. With deafening cheers of "M-V-P'' ringing in her ears, Pondexter's next shot gave the Liberty a one-point lead.

The Liberty was undone by Atlanta's prowess on the boards. The Dream, which leads the league in rebounds, grabbed 40 boards, 15 offensive. It scored 22 second-chance points, led by Sancho Lyttle (13 rebounds) and Erika de Souza (11 rebounds).

The 6-5 Lyttle and the 6-4 de Souza "are great on the rebounds," the Liberty's Plenette Pierson said. "We're kind of undersized. It's a tough matchup."

One made even more difficult by the absence of center Janel McCarville. McCarville, who leads the Liberty in rebounds, is out with a sprained left ankle and is listed as day-to-day. Her absence was sorely felt in the first half.

The Dream rode its highly aggressive style of play to a 23-18 lead with 1:41 left in the first quarter. Atlanta dictated the pace in the quarter, grabbing 12 rebounds - seven offensive - and racked up 24 rebounds by the end of the half. The Liberty bench finished with four points to the Dream's 24.

Pierson said the Liberty's tenacity is a good omen for Game 2.

"We came back," she said. "We fought. That's what it's all about."