Mount Vernon, Ga — The Barons picked the perfect time to break into the win column.
The Barons delivered their biggest result of the season, knocking off No. 3-ranked and previously unbeaten Tennessee Southern, 5-4. The victory marked BPCU's first win of the 2026 campaign and improved the Barons to 1-12-1 overall and 1-7 in conference play.
Tennessee Southern entered the contest 8-0-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play, fresh off a 3-2 victory over Thomas and riding a nine-match unbeaten streak. The Firehawks had climbed to No. 3 in the latest NAIA National Selection Committee Top 25 released just two days before the match.
Brewton-Parker showed no signs of being intimidated by the nationally ranked opponent. Uros Andjelic opened the scoring in the 27th minute off an assist from Ilyas Nazih, before Guillem Ropero doubled the advantage in the 39th off a feed from Biel Ibanez. The Barons carried a commanding 2-0 lead into halftime after outshooting UT Southern 12-5 in the opening 45 minutes.
The Barons continued to apply pressure after the break. UT Southern went down to 10 men following a red card in the 48th minute, and BPCU capitalized. Nazih found the back of the net in the 64th before André Xavier struck in the 68th, giving the Barons a stunning 4-0 advantage over the nation's third-ranked team.
The Firehawks showed why they entered the afternoon unbeaten, mounting a furious comeback with four unanswered goals between the 69th and 80th minutes to erase the deficit and level the match at 4-4.
With the match hanging in the balance, Brewton-Parker delivered one final response. Andjelic stepped to the penalty spot in the 84th minute and buried the go-ahead goal, his second of the afternoon, to put the Barons back in front 5-4. BPCU held on over the closing minutes to complete the upset and hand Tennessee Southern its first loss of the season.
Brewton-Parker finished with 24 shots, including 14 on goal, while Tennessee Southern recorded 18 shots with 17 on frame. Andjelic led the attack with two goals on six attempts, while Nazih finished with a goal and an assist. Ropero and Xavier each added a goal, and Ibanez recorded an assist.
Diego Alejandro Montes Carrera was crucial in goal, recording 11 saves across 90 minutes to help secure the Barons' first victory and one of the biggest upsets of their season.
Brewton-Parker will look to carry the momentum into its next SSAC matchup when the Barons travel to Thomas University on Saturday, Oct. 10.
