VILLANOVA, Pa. – In her Hartford debut, graduate student Ella Awobajo finished with a double-double, but Villanova closed the game out late to take the season-opener 59-41 Wednesday night. 
 
Awobajo finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds while junior Sierra DaCosta scored a team-high 16 points for the Hawks, who start the season 0-1. Mary Gedaka had a game-high 18 points for Villanova, who start the season 1-0.
 
VILLANOVA 59 HARTFORD 41
DaCosta came out strong in the opening quarter for Hartford, scoring the first 11 points of the game capped off by a three-point play, making the score 11-6 with four minutes remaining in the first period. Villanova seized back the momentum before the start of the second, going on a 10-0 run to end the quarter and take the 16-11 lead.
 
In a slow second quarter, the Wildcats stretched their lead to nine after a three-pointer by Brianna Herlihy made the score 25-16 with 2:25 remaining in the half. The Hawks, however, closed within seven before the intermission as freshman Jabria Ingram found Ella Awobajo for the step back jumper on the left side making the halftime score 25-18.
 
Villanova pushed its advantage to 12 midway through the third quarter as Herlihy took a pass from Jannah Tucker and laid it in, pushing the Wildcats' lead to 35-23 with 4:24 remaining in the period. Hartford closed within eight in the closing second of the third as Jade Young followed up a jumper by Ingram and put it in for the 41-33 deficit heading into the final quarter.
 
The Hawks moved within five with 7:04 remaining in the game, as Awobajo drove to the hoop for the layup, making the score 42-37. The Wildcats, however, went on a 17-4 run to end the game and took the season opener 59-41.
 
NEWS AND NOTES

• For the second consecutive season, Villanova tops Hartford in the season opener, in the only meetings between the two schools.
• DaCosta (7-11, 63.6%) and Awobajo (5-10, 50.0%) combined to shoot 54.5% from the floor.
• The Wildcats finished with seven blocks, led by Herlihy, who registered three on the night.

 
NEXT ON TAP
Hartford returns home Friday for the opening round of the Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) against Morgan State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.