ATLANTA - Charmaine Hooper and Nikki Serlenga scored second-half goals as the Atlanta Beat defeated the Boston Breakers 3-1 Saturday.<br>
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Boston (4-8-5) hit the post with two second-half shots, but couldn't get past backup goalkeeper Melanie Wilson, starting because Briana Scurry was recalled for U.S. national team duty.<br>
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Wilson won her second game in a row as Atlanta (8-7-1) moved into sole possession of third place in the WUSA standings.<br>
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Boston, playing without national team players Kate Sobrero, Angela Hucles and Jena Kluegel, suffered a serious blow to its playoff chances, falling five standings points behind San Jose and Washington for the fourth and final playoff spot with four games to play.<br>
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The Beat, also playing without national team player Cindy Parlow, scored first in the 27th minute, when Homare Sawa headed Julie Augustyniak's pass into the net.<br>
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Kristine Lilly scored off Maren Meinert's corner kick in the 40th to tie it at 1-all.<br>
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Hooper provided the eventual game-winner in the 66th when Emily Burt's header caromed off the cross bar to Hooper, who tapped it home.<br>
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The Breakers missed a chance at the lead in the 60th minute when Lilly's shot from 20 yards out struck the right post.<br>
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Ragnhild Gulbrandsen's header of Bettina Wiegman's free kick in the 81st minute also hit the post, and Nikki Serlenga finished the win with a free kick from 22 yards out in the 89th minute.<br>
