Seattle captures 1-0 lead in series with Minnesota

ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS -- Lauren Jackson scored 14 points to lead the Seattle Storm past the Minnesota Lynx 70-58 Saturday in the first game of their WNBA Western Conference semifinal series.
Sheri Sam added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Storm, who shot 48 percent from the field.
Nicole Ohlde led Minnesota with 17 points, and Tamika Williams added 16 points and eight rebounds.
Seattle jumped out to a 9-1 lead but Jackson picked up her third foul with 16:22 to play in the first half and did not return before the break.
Minnesota took advantage of her absence, using a 13-0 run to take a 20-15 lead. Amanda Lassiter hit three 3-pointers in the run.
But the Storm bounced back with a 12-0 run of their own, keyed by a pair of baskets by center Kamila Vodichkova, and led 32-24 at the half.
Jackson returned to score 12 points in the second half, and Seattle stretched its lead to double figures.
Mystics 67, Sun 59
WASHINGTON -- Chasity Melvin had 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead Washington over Connecticut in the first game of their series.
Alana Beard added 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists for the Mystics, who have won six of their last seven. Stacey Dales-Schuman and Aiysha Smith scored 10 points apiece for the Mystics.
Lindsay Whalen led the Sun with 16 points. Former Mystic Asjha Jones scored 14 points. Taj McWilliams-Franklin added 11 points and nine rebounds.
Smith's 3-pointer gave Washington a 61-50 lead with 4:14 remaining.
Whalen hit a jumper and a 3-pointer to pull the Sun to 61-55 with 3:23 left but that was as close as Connecticut would get.
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