PEMBROKE – Junior running back Elliott Powell rushed for a career-best 139 yards and a pair of scores, including a school record-breaking 97-yard scoring scamper in the third quarter, to lead UNCP past visiting Catawba, 27-20, on Saturday evening at Grace P. Johnson Stadium.

The triumph marked the fourth consecutive win for the Braves (4-1) whose only blemish this season came in the form of a five-point loss to then-No. 9 Winston-Salem State who has since moved among the nation's top-5 teams. The setback marked the second-straight loss for the Indians (3-2) who also fell to 1-1 all-time against the Black & Gold.

Junior Jonathan Efird earned his first career start under center and performed admirably in place of the injured Luke Charles by throwing for 130 yards on 17-of-23 passing, including a 13-for-16 success rate in the first half alone. Jason Perry hauled in six catches for 50 yards to pace the receiving corps.

Sean Rush logged a career-best 13 tackles (nine solo) to spearhead a defensive effort that forced multiple turnovers (four) for the fourth-straight game. The Braves would record six tackles for loss on the night, as well as a trio of pass break-ups.

B.J. Sherrill threw for 371 yards and a pair of scores to pace Catawba, who also got 178 receiving yards (10 catches) from Jarrid McKinney. Nate Charest tallied 11 catches for 108 yards and a third quarter score for the Indians as well.

"I really praised our team for coming together and being a great family and believing in each other," said UNCP head coach Pete Shinnick. "I am just really proud of how our guys responded to losing a couple of guys after last week's game. Defensively, we gave up a few yards, but we didn't give up that many points. But, we won the turnover battle, but that is something that we knew we had to do going in."

Sherrill capped an 8-play, 57-yard scoring drive on the game's opening possession with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Diante Hodges that helped the visitors set the early tone. However, the Braves came away with points on each of their first three possessions and took a 17-7 lead on Powell's 15-yard scoring scamper with just less than 10 minutes left before the halftime whistle.

The Indians would deal the final blow of the opening stanza, however, when Chad Hollandsworth capped a 14-play, 64-yard scoring drive with a 28-yard field goal that cut the visitors' deficit back to 17-10 heading into the locker rooms.

UNCP needed just 20 seconds of the second half to produce the eventual game-winning points as Powell cut to the outside and raced 97 yards untouched to give UNCP a 24-10 lead. Catawba cut the UNCP lead to a lone touchdown on Sherrill's 11-yard scoring toss to Charest.

A 19-yard field goal by Connor Haskins with 1:59 left would give UNCP a comfortable 27-17 advantage, but Catawba scored again on a 27-yard field goal by Hollandsworth with 20 ticks remaining, and then recovered the ensuing onside kick to make things interesting. The Indians would drive 11 yards on three plays before L.J. Stroman recorded an interception on the near sideline to quell the drama.

The Braves will return to action next Saturday when they head to Greeneville, Tenn., to battle Tusculum (2-3) in a 1:30 p.m. contest at Pioneer Field. Tusculum was a 49-39 winner over visiting Brevard earlier Saturday.

To watch the full game click PART 1 or PART 2.