(Kristi Toliver scored 22 points and Alana Beard added 18 in the Sparks’ sixth consecutive win, an 82-71 victory over the Storm in Seattle on Saturday. Candace Parker had 11 points and 12 rebounds)

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Tina Charles had 23 points and nine rebounds to lead the Connecticut Sun to an 85-74 victory over the New York Liberty on Saturday night.

Kara Lawson had 21 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Eastern Conference-leading Sun (16-5). Allison Hightower added 20 points to help Connecticut bounce back after a 79-66 loss to New York on Thursday night in the teams’ first game after the Olympic break.

Charles also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 1,000 rebounds, accomplishing it in her 89th game.

Cappie Pondexter had 17 points and five assists for the Liberty (7-13). Essence Carson also scored 17 and Plenette Pierson added 14 points and eight rebounds.

FEVER 86, DREAM 72

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Katie Douglas scored a season-high 29 points to lead Indiana to its second straight win since WNBA’s monthlong Olympic break.

Tamika Catchings had 17 points and nine rebounds, Briann January scored 13 points and Shavonte Zellous had 11 for the Fever (12-7).

Douglas shot 11 for 17 from the field, including 7 for 9 from beyond the arc — tying her career high and the franchise record for 3-pointers made. The Fever made 12 or more 3s for the fifth time this season after accomplishing the feat just three times in the franchise’s previous 12 years.

Angel McCoughtry scored 22 points on 8-for-19 shooting to lead the Dream (10-11). Rookie guard Tiffany Hayes had 13 points and Lindsey Harding added 12.

SPARKS 82, STORM 71

SEATTLE (AP) — Kristi Toliver scored 22 points and Alana Beard added 18 to help Los Angeles beat short-handed Seattle for their sixth consecutive win.

Rookie Nneka Ogwumike had 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Sparks (16-6) swept the season series 5-0. Candace Parker added 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Tanisha Wright had 21 points and rookie reserve Shekinna Stricklen added 16 to lead Seattle (10-11), which remained in fourth place in the Western Conference. The Storm were without point guard Sue Bird (stomach flu) and Ann Wauters (strained Achilles). Also, three-time MVP Lauren Jackson hasn’t joined the team yet after playing for Australia at the London Olympics.

Andrew Wiedeman #32 of Toronto FC blocks Kei Kamara #23 of Sporting Kansas City during MLS action at BMO Field August 18, 2012 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
(August 17, 2012 – Source: Abelimages/Getty Images North America)

MLS Roundup: Kansas City beats Toronto FC 1-0

TORONTO (AP) — Kei Kamara scored on a free kick in the 83rd minute to lift Sporting Kansas City to a 1-0 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday.

Kamara’s kick went off Toronto goalkeeper Milos Kocic’s finger tips and into the bottom right corner of the net as Kansas City (14-7-4) won its third straight MLS contest.

Toronto (5-14-5) remained last in the Eastern Conference and extended its unbeaten streak to four matches.

SOUNDERS FC 2, WHITECAPS 0

SEATTLE (AP) — Fredy Montero score in the 64th minute, Eddie Johnson added a clinching goal in the 87th minute and Seattle beat Vancouver in a key game for positioning in the MLS Western Conference playoff chase.

Just two minutes after coming off the bench, Montero got his eighth MLS goal of the season. Mauro Rosales took a free kick from about 35 yards out, but instead of going on net, chipped it into the penalty area. Defender Jeff Parke played the ball off his chest and directed it to Montero, who got just enough of his toe on the shot to bounce it past Vancouver goalkeeper Joe Cannon.

Johnson scored on a counter attack off a cross from Brad Evans in the closing minutes for his 11th goal of the season.

IMPACT 3, EARTHQUAKES 1

MONTREAL (AP) — Lamar Neagle and Patrice Bernier scored in the second half to help Montreal beat league-best San Jose for the Impact’s fourth straight victory.

Neagle got his second goal of the season to put Montreal (11-13-3) ahead 2-1 in the 61st minute. Both teams played most of the game with 10 aside, while San Jose ended with just nine men.

Bernier, who set up Neagle’s score, got his team-leading seventh goal on a penalty kick in the 73rd minute. Marco Di Vaio scored for Montreal in the first half.

Earthquakes captain Chris Wondolowski scored his league-leading 18th goal on a penalty kick in the 23rd minute to give the Earthquakes (14-6-5) a 1-0 lead

FIRE 2, REVOLUTION 1

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) — Sherjill MacDonald’s first MLS goal broke a tie just past midway through the first half and Chicago held on to beat New England.

Chris Rolfe also scored to help the Fire (12-7-5) win their third straight and move into a tie with New York for second place in the Eastern Conference, five points behind Kansas City.

Fernando Cardenas scored for New England (6-13-5), which dropped to 0-6-1 in its last seven matches. The Revolution also lost by one goal for the 12th time this season.

CHIVAS USA 1, RAPIDS 1

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) — Juan Pablo Angel scored in the 83rd minute to rally Chivas USA to a tie with Colorado.

Tristan Bowen took possession of the ball along the sideline and found Angel alone behind the Colorado defense. Angel easily beat Matt Pickens, denying the Colorad goalkeeper his seventh shutout of the season. Pickens is the franchise’s all-time leader in shutouts (28) and wins (40).

Chivas USA (7-9-6) had only two shots on goal the entire game, both late in the game. The Goats have scored only 15 goals all season.

Brian Mullan scored in the 19th minute for Colorado (8-15-2), which has not lost in its last seven meetings (5-0-2) against Chivas USA.

FC DALLAS 2, REAL SALT LAKE 1

SANDY, Utah (AP) — Fabian Castillo scored twice in the second half, including the winner in stoppage time, to lift FC Dallas.

Dallas (8-11-8) stretched its unbeaten streak to four games and snapped a six game losing streak in Utah dating back to 2007.

Alvaro Saborio scored the tying goal in the 76th minute for Real Salt Lake (13-10-3), which lost its third straight MLS contest.

Castillo gave Dallas a 1-0 lead in the 61st and got the winner 2 minutes into stoppage time.