JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Belmont Abbey junior guard Catherine Hendershott made the most of her homecoming as the Crusaders took on Carson-Newman in the final game of a five-game road trip Wednesday evening at Holt Fieldhouse.
 
The Crusaders and Eagles battled back and forth but it was Carson-Newman who came away with the 79-67 win over The Abbey. Both teams entered Wednesday's matchup ranked in the latest D2CSC Southeast Regional Poll with the Crusaders at No. 8 and the Eagles checking in at No. 4.
 
Hendershott finished with a career-high 19 points and nine rebounds, finishing one rebound shy of a double-double in a return to just outside of her hometown of Knoxville. Abigail Crain also had 19 points, including 15 after halftime. She added seven rebounds and five assists.
 
Cate Schieber also finished with 16 points, including four three-pointers. She added seven rebounds an assist and a steal.
 
Belmont Abbey is now 4-3 on the season while Carson-Newman is 5-1 overall.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Hendershott led the way early as she scored seven of the first 10 points for the Crusaders.
• Carson-Newman began on the second quarter on a 12-0 run and led by as many as 15 points.
• The Abbey responded with a 14-4 run over the final six minutes to get back withing five points at halftime. That included an 8-2 burst in the final 90 seconds of the half.
• Hendershott's layup late in the third quarter gave The Abbey its first lead since the first quarter. The team ended the period with a 52-50 advantage.
• The Crusaders led 59-57 with 6:40 remaining but a 15-2 Carson-Newman run gave the Eagles the lead for good.
• Belmont Abbey outrebounded Carson-Newman 41-35.
• Dearia Page had eight rebounds and matched Crain with a team-best five assists.

 
UP NEXT

• The Crusaders open Conference Carolinas play with a home contest against Barton at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Wheeler Center.
• Saturday's contest will be the first of four home games for The Abbey to close out the calendar year.