Australian veteran Penny Taylor has starred for the Phoenix Mercury, helping them defeat New York Liberty 101-94 to book a spot in the WNBA semi-finals.
The 35-year-old Taylor, who is playing her final year of basketball after first being drafted in the WNBA in 2001, scored 20 points to advance to a five-game series against the powerful Minnesota Lynx.
It was a massive win for the eighth-seeded Mercury against the No.3 Liberty.
Guard Diana Taurasi led the way for the Mercury with 30 points, while three-time WNBA title winner Taylor also had five rebounds and two assists to go with her points haul.
Awaiting the Mercury are the top-ranked Lynx, who finished the regular season record of 28-6.
Minnesota has beaten the Mercury in all three of their clashes this season and the enormity of the task isn't lost on Taurasi.
"They are the best in the league right now,'' Taurasi said.
"They are the defending champs. We know what they do. They know what we do. It's going to be a battle of wills more than anything. Right now we're finding our groove, finding who we are.''
With Phoenix clinging to a two-point lead early in the fourth quarter, Taurasi scored five straight points in a 10-2 run that gave them an 84-76 advantage.
New York refused to quit, hitting back-to-back threes to get within two at 84-82.
But that's as close as the Liberty would get as they came up empty on the next few possessions.
