NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Chamique Holdsclaw always has enjoyed stellar performances when she returns home, and tonight was no exception.

Holdsclaw drilled an 18-foot jumper with 10 seconds left, giving the Washington Mystics a 57-56 victory over New York, their fifth win over the Liberty in their last six meetings.

Holdsclaw's long jumper came after the Liberty rallied from a six-point deficit to take a one-point lead in the final minute. Becky Hammon nailed a 3-pointer with 76 seconds remaining that brought New York within 55-54. After a turnover by Mystics point guard Andrea Nagy, Vickie Johnson completed New York's 7-0 run when she made a layup with 40 seconds to play that gave the Liberty their first in nearly 10 minutes, 56-55.

The Mystics went to Holdsclaw to end the drought. Despite being double-teamed, the Queens native and graduate of Christ the King High School hit a jumper while falling to put the Mystics in front.

"I thought that they were going to double on me and I thought that Vicky (Bullett) would be open, but they ended up sagging off in the paint and I got the ball," Holdsclaw said. "When I came off the screen I saw daylight and put it up."

"When it comes down to the last shot, different things can happen," Johnson said. "It was a great shot. I was there, Sue (Wicks) was there. She made a great shot."

Hammon missed a driving layup that was knocked out of bounds, and Tari Phillips had her short jumper blocked by center Murriel Page as time expired.

Holdsclaw has averaged 18.0 points in three games at Madison Square Garden, helping Washington to two wins. Last season's Rookie of the Year, she finished with 23 points on 10-of-21 shooting with 12 rebounds.

Nikki McCray scored nine points and rookie Tausha Mills added seven for the Mystics, who improved to 2-0 on a four-game road trip. McCray shot just 4-of-12 from the floor.

"It was hard for me to get the ball, but my teammates stepped up," McCray said. "The big key for me was playing defense. It is great playing against the New York Liberty. I think it's a good rivalry."

Johnson and Teresa Weatherspoon scored 14 points apiece and Hammon added 13 for New York, which has dropped three of its last five games and fell to 1-2 at home. Weatherspoon had scored a total of just four points in her last two games.

"You don't practice all week for a loss or for anything to happen this close in our arena," Weatherspoon said. "It hurts, it's painful. Now you have to come back here and learn from the mistakes we had."

Phillips added 10 points and 12 rebounds for New York, which only had seven players compete tonight. Wicks, Tamika Whitmore and Crystal Robinson combined to score just five points.

Robinson scored 19 points Saturday against Indiana in her return to the lineup after missing four games with a left ankle sprain, but was scoreless tonight.

New York shot only 39 percent (23-of-59) from the floor and was 3-of-15 from 3-point range to open a three-game homestand. The Liberty are just 3-5 after going to the WNBA Finals last year for the second time in three seasons.

"We wasted a great effort," Liberty coach Richie Adubato said. "We broke down in our offense and our execution. One shot away from a win, it's a big loss for us and our team."

The Liberty swept all four meetings from Washington in 1998.