The "bad luck" of Friday the 13th wasn't bound to help in the Dream's ongoing struggle to put a check mark in the win column.

After a 76-67 loss to Indiana, the Dream (0-9) now boast the third-longest winless streak to open a season in league history. The Houston Comets lost 10 consecutive games in 2007, second to the Detroit Shock's 13-straight drought in 2002.

Allen Sullivan/AJC (ENLARGE)

Atlanta Dream center Katie Feenstra looks to shoot in the first half against the Indiana Fever at Philips Arena

Backed by an impressive outing from rookie Tamera Young, the Dream held their own with the league's top defensive team.

Young recorded career highs in points (14), assists (4), steals (4) and blocked shots (2) while keeping Indiana's Katie Douglas to 11 points.

Douglas, the third-leading scorer in the league, averages 20 points per game.

The Dream looked feisty, forcing turnovers and jump balls any chance they could.

Even the 5-foot-6 Ivory Latta was under the basket scrapping with 6-foot-2 Ebony Hoffman for the ball.

"I think that's just how it's going to be for us for the rest of the year. We're an expansion team, and a lot of the other teams just don't have the respect for us," Dream forward Kristen Mann said. "Hard work pays off and being scrappy and diving for loose balls. It's those little things that become big things. Eventually it's going to pay off, and we're going to get the win."

The Dream's stops down the stretch on defense allowed Latta to drain two buzzer-beaters in both quarters of the first half.

With Latta's sharpshooting, the Dream trailed 32-29 at the half.

Still, even with three players in double-digit scoring figures — Young (14), Latta (14) and Betty Lennox (13) — the Dream couldn't muster enough momentum to cool the Fever.

Every time the Dream would creep toward a lead, Indiana would chip in a quick couple of baskets.

The Dream still were within five points with just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter before the Fever went on an 11-3 run spanning the next five minutes. The deficit would reach as high as 15 points.

The Dream refused to give in, going on an 11-2 run of their own to make it 72-66 with 28.2 seconds to play before running out of gas.

In the end, it was Tan White, turnovers and free throws that doomed them.

White sank 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting.

The Fever swiped away 15 steals en route to forcing 24 turnovers and converted 24 of 32 free throws.

"They're a fighting team, and they're doing their best to get this win," coach Marynell Meadors said. "It's very frustrating for them and I'll admit they do get frustrated. But their fight will always be there."

Luckily, the Dream is about to receive a boost with the return of former starter Iziane Castro Marques next week.

She has been competing with Brazil for the Olympic qualifiers, but the captain was reportedly released from the team Friday after refusing to play in the second half of Brazil's loss following a heated discussion with her coach at halftime.