MURFREESBORO, N.C. – Chowan University handed Bowie State University a 42-23 setback on Saturday afternoon in the CIAA Northern Division opener for both teams.  The loss is the first in the series for Bowie State on the Hawks field and snaps a four-game winning streak against Chowan.   PHOTOS (Courtesy of Charles Revelle)
 
Senior Amir Hall (Bowie, Md.) threw for season-high 428 passing yards giving him 9,351 for his career. Hall is now 1,270 yards shy of the CIAA All-Time Passing Record of 10,621 held by Earl "Air" Harvey (N.C. Central). Senior Lansana Sesay (Bowie, Md.) recorded a career-high 195 reception yards. Junior William Flowers (Baltimore, Md.) racked up a personal-best 14 tackles and fellow junior John Johnson (Washington, D.C.) tallied six tackles in the loss.
 
Bowie State got off to a terrible start as Hall was intercepted on opening play of the game and Jacquae Peart returned it for a 37-yard touchdown at the 14:45 mark for the early 7-0 lead.
 
Bowie State answered quickly on its next possession but only got three points via a 22-yard field goal by junior Gene Carson (Accokeek, Md.) to trim the Hawks lead to 7-3.
 
Tyrell Freeman scored on a 1-yard rushing touchdown with 9:31 to go in the first quarter to push Chowan's lead to 14-3.
 
Maurice Williams (Baltimore, Md.) caught an 8-yard pass from Hall and Carson added the PAT to trim the Chowan lead to 14-10 with 6:40 to go in opening quarter.
 
With 2:14 remaining in the first quarter, Chowan's Imeek Watkins punched it in for a 23-yard score to double-up Bowie State 21-10.
 
The Bulldogs got six of those points back when Hall connected with Montez Clay (Baltimore, Md.) for a 9-yard score to cut the Hawks' advantage to 21-16. The two-point conversion was no good.
 
CU's Freeman pounded in for the second time in the contest, this time for an 11-yard touchdown at the 4:59 mark and Jackson Brooks added the extra point to give the Hawks a 28-16 cushion that carried into halftime.
 
Bowie State's defense forces Chowan to a three and out to start the third quarter, complimented by back-to-back sacks by senior Derrick Tate (Baltimore, Md.). However, the Bulldogs were unable to take advantage of the opportunity deep in Hawks' territory.
 
After a scoreless third quarter, Paul Gooden hauled in a 9-yard pass from Witt at the 12:27 mark of the fourth quarter to extend the Hawks lead to 35-16.
 
The Witt to Hall connection sealed the game with 5:34 remaining, this time for a 3-yard pass, catch and score to give Chowan a very comfortable 42-16 lead.
 
The Bulldogs scored its final points of the game with 4:12 left in the game when Brandon Abrams caught a 2-yard pass from Hall, setting the score at 42-23.
 
The Bowie State Bulldogs return home next Saturday (October 13) to host the Trojans of Virginia State for Homecoming 2018 at 1 p.m.