Box Score BOX SCORE INSTITUTE, WV- The Chowan University women's basketball team started their season off in thrilling fashion with a 78-77 win over West Virginia State University on Friday evening.  The season opening win is the first for the Hawks since the 2011-2012 season when they claimed a 48-46 victory over the University of Charleston. 
 
Alisha Mobley paced the Hawks with a team-high 22 points in her first game for the blue and white.  Naimia Harrington tallied 12 points in the win while Summer Curtis hauled in nine rebounds (three offensive, six defensive) and two blocks. 
 
Lexi Carson and India Taste led the effort for the Yellow Jackets with 22 points apiece while Jordan Brock and Asia Greenleaf pulled in 10 rebounds each. 
 
With the score knotted 21-21 midway through the first half, West Virginia State pulled away on a 7-0 run to take a 28-21 advantage.  The Yellow Jackets pulled away 48-38 by the end of the first half, leaving the Hawks in a ten point deficit heading into halftime.
 
West Virginia State led by as many as 17 points 45 seconds into the second half, but the Hawks refused to go down without a fight. A three pointer by Chantel Roberts made the score 58-47 at the 13:40 mark which led to the comeback.  The Hawks chipped away with a team scoring effort until back-to-back three pointers by Curtis and Rachel Gostomski shifted the momentum back in favor of Chowan, giving them a 54-52 lead with 7:12 left to play. 
 
Both teams exchanged points as the clock ran down.  The Hawks maintained a narrow 73-72 lead with 1:50 left in the game, but a lay-up and made free throw for West Virginia State handed the Yellow Jackets a 75-73 advantage.  Mobley's lay-up for   Chowan knotted the score once more and Janelle Murphy's made free through gave Chowan a 76-75 advantage with 42 ticks on the clock.
 
Mobley gave the Hawks some cushion with a lay-up with 11 seconds left to play.  Shealyn Shafer added a jumper at the buzzer, but Chowan escaped with the 78-77 victory. 
 
Chowan will hit the hard court again on Saturday when they take on the University of Charleston in a 5:30pm contest.