New York 71, Charlotte 58

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Vickie Johnson scored 20 points for the second straight game and Crystal Robinson added 16 Sunday as the New York Liberty won for the seventh time in nine games with a 71-58 victory over the reeling Charlotte Sting.

New York moved two games ahead of Washington for the top spot in the East. The Liberty, the hottest team in the East, face the Mystics in a home-and-home series Thursday and Friday.

Johnson and Phillips each had five points in a 10-2 run that gave the Liberty the lead for good at 43-38 with 15:14 remaining. Charlotte Smith responded with a three-pointer, but New York ripped off the next eight points for a 51-41 cushion with just over 12 minutes left.

Charlotte got no closer than eight points the rest of the way. The Sting have dropped a season-high five straight games and are in third place, 3 1/2 games behind New York.

Tari Phillips scored 15 points and Tamika Whitmore added 11 as New York turned in a balanced attack. Teresa Weatherspoon handed out eight assists and Sue Wicks grabbed nine rebounds off the bench.

Andrea Stinson scored 16 points to lead Charlotte, which shot just 36 percent from the field. Dawn Staley made all four three-point attempts for 14 points.

The Sting have lost three straight home games and fell to 0-2 against New York this season after defeating the Liberty in three games in last year's Eastern Conference finals.