Washington ? The Washington Mystics kept their playoff hopes alive Sunday, while the four-time WNBA champion Houston Comets’ dreams of a fifth trophy officially came to an end.

Alana Beard overcame early foul trouble and scored 21 points as the Mystics (15-16) won their third in a row with a 75-63 victory over the Comets (12-18), who were eliminated from postseason contention.

The Mystics are 2-0 since three-time All-Star Chamique Holdsclaw announced she would not return this season because of an undisclosed medical problem — and 5-3 since in the eight games she’s missed.

The Comets lost four-time All-Star Sheryl Swoopes with 13:24 remaining in the first half when she sustained a left-eye contusion while battling Chasity Melvin and teammate Michelle Snow for a loose ball. Swoopes returned to the bench for the second half but did not play.

“When you lose one of the best players in the game, it affects the game, but we have to find a way to overcome it,” Houston coach Van Chancellor said. “Washington found a way to overcome (the loss of) Chamique Holdsclaw, and we need to do the same.”

“The bench play was big-time today,” said Beard, who picked up her third personal foul midway through the first half. “They did an awesome job in the first half keeping us ahead, and they finished the game very strong.”

Mystics backup point guard Tamicha Jackson scored 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Reserves Aiysha Smith added six points and Coco Miller five.

Melvin added 11 points, and Murriel Page had eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Sun 71, Storm 64

Washington Alana Beard, left, beats Houston's Tina Thompson to the basket for a layin during the Mystics' 75-63 victory. The outcome Sunday in Washington eliminated Houston from the WNBA playoffs.

Uncasville, Conn. — Connecticut beat slumping Seattle, winning its third straight game to move into a tie with Charlotte for first place in the Eastern Conference. Katie Douglas scored 21 points, and Taj McWilliams-Franklin added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Sun (16-15).

Sparks 65, Monarchs 52

Los Angeles — Lisa Leslie scored 23 points, and Los Angeles clinched first place in the Western Conference with a win over Sacramento. Mwadi Mabika added 14 points, and Kansas University product Tamecka Dixon had 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Sparks (23-8), who have won nine of their last 10 games and secured home-court advantage for the WNBA playoffs.

Liberty 64, Silver Stars 62

New York — Crystal Robinson scored 16 points, and Becky Hammon had 15 to rally New York past last-place San Antonio. Robinson scored 14 second-half points — including four three-pointers.

All-star game lands with Sun

Uncasville, Conn. — The Connecticut Sun will serve as host for the WNBA All-Star game at Mohegan Sun Arena next season.

The sixth All-Star game will be played July 9 and televised on ABC.

The Sun, who won the right to host in May, unveiled the logo for the All-Star game during Sunday’s victory over the Seattle Storm.

“We were thrilled when we learned that the All-Star game would be at Mohegan Sun Arena,” Sun President Paul Munick said. “It is especially fitting given Connecticut’s rich history of supporting women’s basketball.”

The league did not play a traditional All-Star game this summer because many WNBA players were on Olympic national teams.