MARIETTA, Ohio – Capital University scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to seal a 24-3 victory over Marietta College Saturday afternoon at Don Drumm Stadium. The Pioneers finish the season 3-7 overall and 2-7 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Capital improves to 5-5 overall and 5-4 in the OAC. [Box Score]

After forcing the Pioneers to punt on their first possession of the game, Capital went on an 11-play, 84-yard drive that resulted in a 22-yard field goal by Nick VanMeter. Senior quarterback Chase Carris completed three passes to wide receiver Matt White on the drive that accounted for 54 yards.

Neither team managed much offense in the rest of the first half and the score remained 3-0 at the break. The Crusaders were 3-of-8 on third down conversions while Marietta was 3-of-9 in the half.

The Pioneers struggled to give senior quarterback #Andrew Keller (Cincinnati/Glen Este)# time to throw the football. Capital sacked Keller five times in the first half and eight times for the game.

Capital received the second half kick off and returned the ball to its own 37-yard line. The Crusaders drove the ball into Marietta territory and faced a third and eight at the 37-yard line.

Carris hit senior wide receiver Kory Hartinger for 18 yards and a key first down. Four plays later Carris dove in from a yard out for the touchdown. Following the point after, Capital led 10-0.

Marietta responded with its best drive of the afternoon. The Pioneers put together a 16-play, 77-yard drive that stalled on the Capital five-yard line. Freshman kicker #Jesse Shore (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland)# hit a 22-yard field goal to cut the lead to 10-3.

The Pioneers were on the board but missed a chance for seven points. Marietta had the ball first and goal on the six but a sack and a delay of game penalty pushed them back to the 17-yard line. On third and goal, Keller hit sophomore #Kirby Harris (Greenville, S.C./South Side)# for 12 yards setting up Shore's kick.

A pair of interceptions in the fourth quarter led to Capital touchdowns and sealed the victory for the Crusaders.

Following an interception by junior linebacker Tylar Dugan, Carris engineered a 12-play scoring drive. Carris completed 8-of-10 passes for 56 yards on the drive. Senior running back Josh Anderson capped the drive with a one-yard run giving Capital a 17-3 lead.

Marietta started the next drive from inside its own 20-yard line. Keller completed a 25-yard pass to junior wide receiver #Sean Munfield (Marietta/Marietta)# and then ran the ball for 14 more.

A false start penalty, two incomplete passes and a one-yard run left the Pioneers facing a fourth and 14 from midfield. With under five minutes left in the game, Marietta went for it on fourth down.

Senior linebacker Troy Spiker stepped in front of Keller's pass and returned the interception 36 yards to the Marietta 30-yard line. Carris put the game away when he hit White for a one-yard touchdown pass and a 24-3 lead with 2:14 left in the game.

Keller ended the day 13-of-27 for 183 yards. He was Marietta's leading rusher with 18 carries for 38 yards. Munfield had six receptions for 96 yards.

Carris completed 26-of-42 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown. He added 38 yards rushing on 12 carries with a touchdown. Anderson rushed for 49 yards and a score on 16 carries. White caught 12 passes for 125 yards and a TD.

Senior #Dan Starr (Senecaville/Buckeye Trail)# and sophomore #Jake Hammer (Wadsworth/St. Vincent-St. Mary)#, both linebackers, led the Pioneer defense with 10 tackles each. Spiker had seven tackles to lead the Crusaders.

Prior to the game, Marietta honored the eight seniors on the roster. Wide receiver #Zane Carter (Wellsville/Wellsville)#, defensive back #Jake Depp (Geneva/Geneva)#, defensive back #Jahmaal Jones (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale)#, offensive tackle #Tarek Nusseibeh (Uniontown/North Canton Hoover)#, quarterback #Kyle Shackle (Butler/Mount Vernon)#, and wide receiver #Chad Walker (Spring Hill, Fla./Central)#, along with Keller and Starr, finished their careers in the Navy Blue and White this afternoon.