Kiki Iriafen etched herself in the rookie record books following the Washington Mystics' matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday night.
In 27 minutes of action, Iriafen finished with a stat line of 22 points and 13 rebounds. She shot 8-of-20 from the field, including 1-of-1 from beyond the arc, and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
She ended up making history with her double-double outing, per StatMuse. It marked her fourth 20-point, 10-rebound performance of the season, having the most by a rookie in Mystics history.
How Kiki Iriafen, Mystics played against Sparks
Despite Kiki Iriafen's historic efforts as a rookie, it wasn't enough as the Mystics lost 81-78 to the Sparks.
Washington got off to a slow start, trailing 22-11 after the first quarter. They fought back by cutting into the deficit, making things difficult for Los Angeles but it was too late.
The Mystics nearly pulled off the rally, but they were unable to stop Kelsey Plum in the fourth quarter. She scored 14 of her 18 points in that period, making clutch shots down the stretch to fend off the visitors' comeback attempt.
Both squads were even in key statistics, whether it was shooting accuracy, rebounding and playmaking. Washington had 40 rebounds and 20 assists, almost like Los Angeles' 40 boards and 19 dishes. The visitors' shooting splits were 38.9% from the field and 39.1% from three, in comparison to the hosts' 40% and 27.8 clips.
Four players scored in double-digits on Washington's behalf, including Iriafen. Sonia Citron had a display of 12 points, three assists, two rebounds, and two steals. She shot 4-of-7 overall, including 3-of-4 from downtown, and 1-of-2 from the charity stripe. Shakira Austin came next with 11 points and seven rebounds, while Stefanie Dolson provided 10 points and three assists.
Washington fell to a 16-25 record on the season, holding the fourth spot of the Eastern Conference standings. They are six games behind the Indiana Fever and 8.5 games behind the New York Liberty.
With three games remaining, the Mystics will look to bounce back in their next matchup, being at home. They host the Phoenix Mercury on Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
