WASHINGTON (AP) -- Alana Beard had 16 points to lead the

Washington Mystics to a 64-52 victory Friday over the Seattle

Storm.

Chasity Melvin had 11 points and eight rebounds for the Mystics

(3-5), who snapped a two-game losing streak. Charlotte Smith-Taylor

added 11 points and five rebounds.

The Mystics blocked seven shots and converted the Storm's 20

turnovers into 21 points.

"We wanted to come out with a lot of intensity, and I think we

did it defensively," Beard said. "Our defense made points for us.

Beating a team that has caliber players like Lauren Jackson is a

great confidence booster."

Beard played just her fourth game of the season since returning

from a sprained right ankle.

"Alana is looking better and better each time," Mystics coach

Richie Adubato said. "She's looking more comfortable in the

offense and understanding how she can get open."

The Mystics' defense made the difference as DeLisha

Milton-Jones, Smith-Taylor and Melvin each blocked two shots.

Washington won the battle of the boards, 34-26.

"We played excellent defense tonight with their size on the

boards," Adubato said. "Everybody was in there rebounding for us.

We had seven blocks tonight, which is incredible."

Jackson and Betty Lennox each scored 18 points for the defending

WNBA champion Storm (5-3), who are 1-1 since losing All-Star Sue

Bird to a broken nose in Tuesday's loss to Connecticut.

"Our intensity killed us," Jackson said. "It was a little bit

disappointing that we didn't actually come out firing like we did

against Detroit (in Wednesday's win). We didn't play our game."

Jackson, who shot 7-for-17 from the field, had nine rebounds and

blocked three shots but missed the playmaking of Bird.

"It's always hard playing without her," Jackson said. "She's

the best point guard in the world."

Jackson accidentally elbowed Bird in the face in the Storm's

loss Tuesday at Connecticut. Bird, who broke her nose in the WNBA

playoffs last season, broke her right orbital bone and right nasal

bone.

"She's coming along, trying to keep her morale up," Storm

coach Anne Donovan said. "There is a possibility that she will

have surgery on her cheek. But I wish her the best, and hopefully

she will be with the team soon."

The Mystics led by two at halftime and opened the second half

with a 17-6 run, capped by Beard's layup for a 45-32 lead with

13:44 left. Smith-Taylor, Melvin and Beard made consecutive

3-pointers during the spurt.

Iziane Castro Marques' 3-pointer capped a 10-0 run that pulled

Seattle to 51-48 with 6:04 left, but the Storm got no closer.

"We bowed down and showed our weaknesses," Lennox added.

"We're a great team and we didn't play like it tonight."

Rookie Temeka Johnson, who leads the league in assists, had 10

points and five assists for Washington.