The Toronto Tempo made history on Friday night, but it wasn't pretty. In their inaugural WNBA game, the Tempo fell 68-65 to the Washington Mystics in front of a sellout crowd of 8,210 at Coca-Cola Coliseum. While the team didn't deliver a polished performance, they kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer.

Shakira Austin sank four clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the win for the Mystics, but the Tempo had their chances. Brittney Sykes scored the first points in franchise history with a pull-up jumper in the first quarter, but a missed three-pointer with 14 seconds left could have given Toronto the lead. The Tempo struggled offensively, shooting just 5-for-25 from beyond the arc and tallying only 10 assists on 17 baskets.

"It was a great moment," said Tempo coach Sandy Brondello. "Sad that we didn't win the game, didn't close it out, but the fans were fantastic. It was a very ugly game. Hopefully they get way prettier than that as we move forward."

The energy in the arena was electric, with fans cheering loudly for Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair when she appeared on the video screen. The crowd erupted again when Marina Mabrey's three-pointer with 4:19 left in the fourth quarter gave Toronto a 57-56 lead—their first of the second half.

"To have them have our back, cheering for us every time we figure it out, it kind of helps us feel like we're getting something going," Mabrey said. "We've just got to execute a little bit better with how we want to play."

Despite the loss, the Tempo showed grit and determination, keeping the game close throughout. They'll get another shot at their first win when they host the Seattle Storm on Wednesday night. For now, Toronto's basketball faithful have plenty to look forward to—and a team that's ready to grow.