CLEVELAND, July 15 (UPI) -- Tangela Smith scored 22 points Tuesday afternoon to lead Sacramento past the Cleveland Rockers, 66-57.
Also for the Monarchs, rookie reserve Kara Lawson added 12 of her 14 in the second half.
Ticha Penicheiro handed out a season-high 15 assists and scored seven points, including a jumper that capped a 10-2 burst and gave the Monarchs a 43-40 advantage with 14:03 remaining.
Sacramento built the lead to 52-42 on a layup by Smith with 11:04 left, but the Rockers used an 8-1 surge to close within 53-50 on a seven-footer by Penny Taylor with 7:18 left. They got no closer.
The Monarchs made 5-of-9 from behind the arc in the second half after missing both of their attempts in the first half.
Taylor scored 18 points and Betty Lennox added 10 off the bench for Cleveland, which lost for the sixth time in nine games.
