Union shoves CU women out of share of first place in TranSouth

JACKSON — In a Lady Bulldog fight atop the TranSouth Conference standings, Union kicked Cumberland out of what had been a four-way tie for first place going into Thursday's game with an 82-69 verdict.
No. 10 Cumberland fell behind 40-29 at halftime as CU slipped to 17-4 for the season and 7-3 in the TSC. No. 7 Union, the two-time NAIA national champion, improved to 17-4, 8-2.
Josephine Owino notched 19 points, Natanya Smith and Kaitlin Dudley 11 each and Ena Daniels 10 for Union, which sank 16 of 23 free throws in avenging a loss early last month at Cumberland's Dallas Floyd Center.
Kiana Robinson scored 16 points while Renae Williams and Isabelli Cunico each added 11 for Cumberland, which connected on each of its four foul shots.
Ashley Cross and Mariel Ruis supplied seven points apiece while C'Kala Humes and Tomika Hall had six each and Juliana Fernandes five.
Cumberland controlled the glass 41-34 as Robinson notched nine caroms for the visitors. CU lost the ball 21 times to Union's 13. Cross passed for five assists.
CU will return home for another possible first-place battle Saturday when No. 14 Freed-Hardeman visits the Dallas Floyd Center for a 2 p.m. tipoff.