NEW YORK (Ticker) -- The New York Liberty hope to fare better than that male hoop team with whom they share Madison Square Garden when they begin the WNBA Finals here on Thursday.

Crystal Robinson scored 18 points and Vickie Johnson added 13 to lead the Liberty to the Finals for the second time in three years with a 69-54 victory over the Charlotte Sting.

The Liberty, who had dropped the opener of this best-of-three series at Charlotte on Friday, rallied to take the final two games and reach the league's ultimate round after failing to qualify for the postseason last year.

"We fought hard this season and had a lot of ups and downs," Robinson said. "A lot of people doubted us, and we don't have any superstars, but we are a good team."

While the Garden's other inhabitants, the New York Knicks, failed in five games against the San Antonio Spurs in the 1999 NBA Finals, the Liberty are hoping to earn their first title when they take on Houston in the best-of-three Finals. New York lost to Houston in the inaugural Finals in 1997.

Johnson and Sophia Witherspoon scored five points apiece during a 14-7 run that gave New York a 54-41 cushion with 9:25 to play. Robinson was 7-of-8 from the field and drained 4-of-5 shots from 3-point range.

"I can't say enough about Crystal Robinson," said New York coach Richie Adubato. "They double-teamed her, they tripled-teamed her, but she continues to show what a marvelous shooter she is. She has a quick release and has learned to go to the basket more."

"We didn't want to play a close game," Robinson added. "We wanted to get a lead and keep a lead throughout the whole game, so we didn't feel that kind of pressure. We really looked forward to coming out and jumping on them early."

Kym Hampton, playing in what could have been her final game, had eight points and 11 rebounds as the Liberty held a commanding 32-20 advantage on the boards after being outrebounded in each of the first two games.

"I was very happy with our defense," Adubato added. "This is a very explosive offensive team that can score inside and out. When you look at the rebounding difference, you'll see where we won the game."

Andrea Stinson, who set a franchise record with 27 points in Sunday's 74-70 loss, tallied 24 tonight but was Charlotte's only player in double figures.

"They came out ready to play and put us back on our heels," Stinson added. "We never gave up. We're a group that doesn't give up. Sometimes it looks like it out there, but in our hearts, we're still fighting forward and we're going to play until the end."

The Liberty, who established a league playoff record by shooting 55 percent from the floor on Saturday, came back with another sparkling display tonight. Tamika Whitmore and Witherspoon scored 10 points apiece as New York shot 54 percent (27-of-50), including 7-of-12 from 3-point range.

Teresa Weatherspoon handed out 11 assists for the Liberty, who scored 17 points off 10 turnovers. Robinson's 18 points were one shy of the franchise playoff record set by Weatherspoon on Saturday.

"The first season, we were in the Finals," Weatherspoon said. "In the second season, we didn't even get there. And this is why it's so important to us and so special and so emotional. We're the last ones laughing and we'll see in the end. We have two more to go."

Vicky Bullett, Charlotte Smith and Rhonda Mapp tallied eight points each for the Sting, who shot 37 percent (22-of-59).

"I would just like to commend New York," Charlotte coach Dan Hughes said. "I thought they were excellent and were very efficient and shot the ball well. I thought they got very solid play from their bench, which we didn't match in that situation. We didn't have the flow offensively that we had the first two games."