DURHAM – Visiting UNC Pembroke grabbed a 17-0 lead on a 37-yard field goal from Connor Haskins midway through the third quarter, but Shaw rallied from 20 unanswered points to register a 20-17 victory over the Braves on Saturday evening at Durham County Stadium.

The setback marked the end of three-straight games against Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) teams for the Braves (1-2) who also opened up a two-game road trip with the loss. The triumph marked the first win of the season for the Bears (1-2).

Seth Owen threw for 163 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-31 passing to pace the Braves, while Rontonio Stanley accounted for 91 yards of total offense, including seven receptions for 75 yards. Code Black registered three or more sacks for the second-straight week, including a pair of quarterback stops by Mat Turner. Josh Barbour tallied a team-leading six tackles for the Braves as well.

"There is a lot of pain and disappointment that comes along with a game like this," said UNCP head coach Shane Richardson. We certainly did not do what we discussed at halftime and that was to finish. Shaw scored 20 unanswered points and we could not find a way to make a play on either side of the ball to shift the momentum back in our favor.

"This will serve as a great lesson for us, but a difficult one to swallow."

After a scoreless first quarter, Owen found tight end Pete West on a 4-yard scoring strike with 7:32 left in the second period to give the Braves the lead. Owen capped a short 5-play, 24-yard drive just more than seven minutes later when he found John Rich on a 3-yard touchdown pass to pad the lead out to 14-0.

Haskins's 37-yard field goal with 6:11 left in the third quarter put UNCP up 17-0, but Shaw put together a 4-play, 83-yard touchdown drive towards the end of the half to get back into the contest.

A 16-play, 80-yard touchdown drive by Shaw to begin the fourth quarter brought the hosts to within five points, 17-12, and the Bears forced a UNCP turnover at midfield on the ensuing possession to grab some more momentum. Quarterback Trey Folston 1-yard quarterback keeper just less than 2-1/2 minutes later gave the Bears the lead for good.

UNCP will be back in action again on Saturday when the Braves make the short trip up U.S. 74 to take on Wingate (2-1) in a 1:30 p.m. contest at Irwin Belk Stadium.