BOSTON (AP) – Siri Mullinix stopped a pair of penalty kicks as the Washington Freedom advanced to the Founders Cup for the second straight season with a 3-1 penalty kick victory over the top-seeded Boston Breakers on Saturday.

The fourth-seeded Freedom earned a return trip to the WUSA title game after the team’s played to a 0-0 overtime tie.

The Freedom will face tomorrow’s San Diego-Atlanta winner in the championship game next Sunday in San Diego.

The Breakers failed on their first two penalty kicks. Maren Meinert missed high, then Kristine Lilly’s shot was stopped by Mullinix.

Jennifer Meier, Jacqui Little and Mia Hamm all converted for Washington, which grabbed the win when Mullinix stopped Heather Aldama on Boston’s fourth try.

Washington’s Abby Wambach had the best chance to end the game in overtime, as she bounced a header off the turf in the 99th minute that was stopped when Breakers goalie Karina LeBlanc jumped in front of the ball at the last moment.

Boston’s Angela Hucles gave the Freedom a major scare with a shot from 25 yards out in the 85th minute.

Mullinix deflected the chance with her fingertips and the ball nicked the crossbar on its way out of play.

Mullinix came up with a bigger save in the 89th minute, taking out Dagny Mellgren with a sliding stop as Mellgren was poised for a shot deep in the box.

Mellgren struck a header in the third minute of stoppage time that was blocked at the goal line by Little.

Notes: Saturday’s finish marked the second time a WUSA playoff game was decided by penalty kicks. The then-Bay Area CyberRays beat Atlanta on penalty kicks to win the inaugural Founders Cup in 2001. …The Breakers honored Meinert, who is retiring after this season, with a short ceremony following the game. Meinert finished her regular season career as the Breakers’ all-time leader with 81 points (24 goals, 33 assists). …The announced crowd of 9,070 was the same as the last time the teams played at Nickerson Field on July 23.

AP-ES-08-16-03 1843EDT