Box Score CHARLOTTE, NC – Karnina Bunch scored 15 points and Amena Brent added 11 points as Johnson C. Smith University led the entire game in a 57-49 CIAA women's first-round victory over Chowan University in the CIAA Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on Tuesday, February 25, 2014.

The win sends the Lady Golden Bulls, the No. 5 Southern Division seed, to the quarterfinals where they will face Southern Division top seed Fayetteville State on Wednesday, February 26 at 2:40 p.m. The Lady Golden Bulls lost twice to the Lady Broncos during the regular season.

The production of the JCSU reserves was a big key in the win as the Lady Golden Bulls (14-12) outscored the Hawks 26-12 in bench points. Deanna Downer had eight points, seven rebounds and three steals and Ashley Porter contributed eight points and five rebounds. Chelsea Faulhaber had six points, three rebounds and two steals and Quinesha Lynch scored four points.

Rachel Gostomski had 12 points and five steals and CIAA Rookie of the Year Courtni Williams added 11 points for the Hawks (12-16), who pulled within two late after trailing by double digits in the first half. But Bunch, the Food Lion MVP for the Lady Golden Bulls, scored four points during an 8-2 run which ended a Hawks' comeback.

"These young ladies fought through [a Chowan rally], and we were able to come out with a victory," Johnson C. Smith Head Coach Stephen Joyner Jr. said.
The contest started with Brent making her first two baskets to give the Lady Golden Bulls a 6-2 lead, but the Hawks came back to tie the score at 8-8 keyed by four straight free throws by Williams.

The Lady Golden Bulls then reeled off 10 consecutive points for an 18-8 lead. They were sparked by the play of Bunch and bench players Downer and Faulhaber.
The Hawks stopped the run with a free throw, but the Lady Golden Bulls went on another 6-2 run for a 24-11 lead. Brent and Porter combined for six points during the Lady Golden Bulls' run.

The lead was 25-11 when Chantel Roberts (7 points, 6 rebounds) buried a three for the Hawks. It cut the deficit to 11 points but Marquesha Sparks answered with a jumper in the paint for a 27-14 lead.

The Hawks came alive in the latter minutes of the first half, scoring six straight points to pull within single digits at 27-20. Lynch hit a jumper for the Lady Golden Bulls but Dominique Weldon answered with a basket as the Hawks closed within 29-22 at the half.

Brent led a balanced JCSU scoring attack in the first half with seven points. Porter had five points and four rebounds to spark a Lady Golden Bulls bench which keyed their first-half lead. Downer had four points and four rebounds and Faulhaber scored four points off the bench.

Roberts led the Hawks with seven points and Williams had four points. Summer Curtis amassed five first-half blocks.

The Hawks' run continued in the second half when Gostomski hit a three-pointer to pull within 29-25. It was as close as the Hawks had been since the early moments of the contest. Williams added a free throw to slice the margin to three points.

The Lady Golden Bulls stopped the run with two free throws by Brent for a five-point lead. The Hawks wouldn't go away, however, as Gostomski hit a three from the wing to close within 33-30. The Hawks got within two points on Kaela Nelson's free throw.

The Lady Golden Bulls pushed the lead to 39-31 on consecutive baskets by Bunch. She later dished off in traffic to Brent for a layup to increase their lead to 42-33 with less than nine minutes left. Brent later nailed a three to get the Lady Golden Bulls' lead back to double digits at 47-35.

The Hawks made one last run. They scored eight straight points to get within four at 47-43. The Hawks later cut the lead to two before Bunch sparked the final Lady Golden Bulls' run.

"We fought a good battle, but ultimately we couldn't come out on top," stated the Hawks' head coach, Patrick Mashuda said.  Chowan ends the season with a 12-16 overall record.