Belmont Abbey junior guard Asha Hardaway posted a double double with 11 points and 13 rebounds, eight on the offensive glass, as the Crusaders women's basketball team opened the 2009-10 season with a 60-54 win over the visiting Catawba Indians this evening at the Wheeler Center. Catawba falls to 1-1 with the defeat.

Hardaway as among three Crusaders to reach double figures, as senior guard Ashley Giddens led all players with 15 points, while Shayla Jackson added 13 and Hardaway posted 11. Hardaway's eight offensive rebounds surpassed the total number of rebounds for all but one Catawba player. Her 13 rebounds were the game-high as the Abbey dominated the glass with a 52-34 rebounding edge. She also had three assists and three blocked shots in all 40 minutes.

Catawba was led by Dana Hicks's 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Millica Ivanovic poured in 11 and Nisha Long contributed ten.

Belmont Abbey built a 30-26 halftime lead. Catawba's first 20 points came from either the paint or the free throw line as it shot 37 perecent from the field in the half and 36 for the game, while the Abbey shot 30 percent in the first and 33 in the second, accumulating a 31 percent effort for the evening.