The Mystics erased any short-term gains they enjoyed in their first week under interim head coach Jessie Kenlaw on Sunday afternoon at Verizon Center, and now have the next long month to wonder if the postseason will ever be within reach after an ugly 82-60 loss to Connecticut.

Washington (10-16) enters the WNBA’s Olympic hiatus at least a game out of the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and will play the first of eight remaining contests Aug. 29.

“I was very disappointed,” said Kenlaw. “I thought we were a little bit closer than we were. We had a setback tonight because we didn’t make shots. But my thing is, if you don’t make shots, then you have to make stops. We didn’t do either.”

Kenlaw, who was promoted last weekend following Tree Rollins’ dismissal, won two of her first three games, but against the Sun (16-10) four of her five starters combined for just 16 points. Only Taj McWilliams-Franklin (11 points) reached double figures.

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The Sun blew the game open with a 15-2 run midway through the third quarter. Connecticut forward Asjha Jones led the visitors with 27 points.

“It slipped through our fingers,” said Mystics guard Alana Beard (7 points). “Every time we put ourselves into position, we take a step back.”