LEBANON, Tenn. - The UT Southern Firehawks men's soccer team showcased grit, resilience, and offensive firepower Friday night, rallying from a three-goal deficit to secure a dramatic 5-5 draw against nationally-ranked #18 Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tenn.
In what turned into an instant classic, the Firehawks delivered a stunning second-half surge, scoring five goals in the final 42 minutes to keep their unbeaten record intact at 3-0-1.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The night began with early challenges for UT Southern as Cumberland struck quickly, scoring three goals in the opening 40 minutes to seize control.
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In the 16th minute, Cumberland's Alejandro Vega broke through UT Southern's back line, finishing calmly off a setup from Pau Ortega to put the hosts up 1-0.
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Just over a minute later, in the 17th minute, Philipp Schmidtke doubled the lead, slotting home a composed strike after a slick assist from Harold Perea, making it 2-0.
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The Firehawks tried to settle in but faced relentless pressure, and in the 38th minute, Miguel Gelabert added another for the Phoenix to stretch the lead to 3-0 heading into halftime.
Down three on the road against a top-20 opponent, the Firehawks needed a spark — and they delivered.
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In the 48th minute, Filippo Fregoli ignited the comeback, burying an unassisted strike into the back of the net to make it 3-1 and swing momentum in UT Southern's favor.
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The pressure mounted, and in the 68th minute, Daquan Duhaney capitalized on a perfect feed from Fregoli, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
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Just four minutes later, in the 72nd minute, Felix Hammel tied the match at 3-3, finishing a cross from Mak Binder to cap an incredible comeback run.
But the Firehawks weren't done.
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Only seconds after equalizing, UT Southern seized its first lead of the night. In the 73rd minute, George Grice pounced on a pass from Lorick Gustave, firing home the go-ahead goal to make it 4-3.
Cumberland, however, responded with resilience of their own.
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In the 81st minute, Luis Cerejo connected off a setup from Miguel Gelabert, leveling the score at 4-4.
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The Phoenix reclaimed the lead in the 87th minute when Schmidtke netted his second goal of the night, assisted by Enea Elmazi and Kacper Wolicki, pushing Cumberland ahead 5-4.
But the Firehawks refused to go quietly.
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Just a minute later, UT Southern earned a penalty, and George Grice stepped up to calmly convert from the spot in the 88th minute, securing the dramatic 5-5 draw and silencing the home crowd.
UT Southern Player Highlights
First Half Team Stats
| Stat |
UT Southern |
#18 Cumberland |
| Goals |
0 |
3 |
| Shots |
6 |
7 |
| Shots on Goal |
3 |
5 |
| Saves |
1 |
3 |
| Corner Kicks |
2 |
2 |
| Fouls |
10 |
5 |
Final Team Stats
| Stat |
UT Southern |
#18 Cumberland |
| Goals |
5 |
5 |
| Shots |
15 |
18 |
| Shots on Goal |
9 |
10 |
| Saves |
5 |
4 |
| Corner Kicks |
5 |
4 |
| Fouls |
16 |
9 |
Scoring Summary
| Time |
Team |
Scorer |
Assist(s) |
Score |
| 16' |
Cumberland |
Alejandro Vega |
Pau Ortega |
0-1 |
| 17' |
Cumberland |
Philipp Schmidtke |
Harold Perea |
0-2 |
| 38' |
Cumberland |
Miguel Gelabert |
— |
0-3 |
| 48' |
UT Southern |
Filippo Fregoli |
— |
1-3 |
| 68' |
UT Southern |
Daquan Duhaney |
Fregoli |
2-3 |
| 72' |
UT Southern |
Felix Hammel |
Binder |
3-3 |
| 72' |
UT Southern |
George Grice |
Gustave |
4-3 |
| 81' |
Cumberland |
Luis Cerejo |
Gelabert |
4-4 |
| 87' |
Cumberland |
Philipp Schmidtke |
Elmazi, Wolicki |
4-5 |
| 88' |
UT Southern |
George Grice (PK) |
— |
5-5 |
Next UP
The Firehawks open their home schedule hosting rival Bethel on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Kickoff is set for 4:30 PM.
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