ATLANTA (AP) -- Charmaine Hooper and Nikki Serlenga scored second-half goals as the Atlanta Beat defeated the Boston Breakers 3-1 Saturday.

Boston (4-8-5) hit the post with two second-half shots, but couldn't get past backup goalkeeper Melanie Wilson, starting because Briana Scurry was recalled for U.S. national team duty.

Wilson won her second game in a row as Atlanta (8-7-1) moved into sole possession of third place in the WUSA standings.

Boston, playing without national team players Kate Sobrero, Angela Hucles and Jena Kluegel, suffered a serious blow to its playoff chances, falling five standings points behind San Jose and Washington for the fourth and final playoff spot with four games to play.

The Beat, also playing without national team player Cindy Parlow, scored first in the 27th minute, when Homare Sawa headed Julie Augustyniak's pass into the net.

Kristine Lilly scored off Maren Meinert's corner kick in the 40th to tie it at 1-all.

Hooper provided the eventual game-winner in the 66th when Emily Burt's header caromed off the cross bar to Hooper, who tapped it home.

The Breakers missed a chance at the lead in the 60th minute when Lilly's shot from 20 yards out struck the right post.

Ragnhild Gulbrandsen's header of Bettina Wiegman's free kick in the 81st minute also hit the post, and Nikki Serlenga finished the win with a free kick from 22 yards out in the 89th minute.