MARIETTA, Ohio – A first-quarter safety by the John Carroll University defense ended up being the difference in the game as the Blue Streaks defeated Marietta College 37-35 Saturday night. The loss drops Marietta to 1-2 overall, 0-2 in the OAC. John Carroll moves to 1-2 on the season and 1-1 in league play. [Box Score] [Photo Gallery]

The Pioneers drew first blood when senior quarterback #Andrew Keller (Cincinnati/Glen Este)# hit sophomore wide receiver #Tannon Roberts (West Palm Beach, Fla./Berean Christian)# on a 44-yard scoring strike with 9:15 left in the first quarter.

Keller would end the game 24-of-40 for a career-best 401 yards and three touchdowns.  The 401 yards passing was just nine yards short of the Marietta College record of 410 yards set by Justin Papania against Muskingum in 2002.

The Pioneers forced John Carroll to punt on the ensuing possession. On his only punt of the night, junior Mike Malisheski launched a 57-yard punt that rolled out of bounds at the Marietta one-yard line.  On first down, MC handed the ball to junior running back #Tevin Dones (Antioch, Calif./Antioch)# who was stuffed in the end zone by JCU's junior defensive lineman Michael Green for the safety.

A pair of rushing touchdowns by junior running back Casey Vogl gave the Blue Streaks a 16-7 lead. Vogl would end the night with four rushing touchdowns, including a 74-yard scamper early in the fourth quarter.

Keller and Roberts hooked up again, this time for 14-yards as the Pioneers cut the lead to 16-14 with 38 seconds left in the second quarter. Roberts caught eight passes for 126 yards and two scores on the night.

Trailing 37-21 after Vogl's long touchdown run, the Pioneers mounted a comeback. Dones scored on a 1-yard dive with 10:20 left in the game. Keller hit his favorite target, sophomore #Kirby Harris (Greenville, S.C./South Side)# on the two-point conversion to trim the lead to 37-29.

John Carroll responded with a nearly seven minute drive that ended with a missed field goal. Marietta took over at its own 20-yard line with 3:31 left in the game.

Keller led the Pioneers on an 80-yard scoring drive that ended with a 26-yard touchdown pass to senior #Chad Walker (Spring Hill, Fla./Central)# cutting the lead to 37-35. Keller's pass attempt on the two-point conversion fell incomplete and closed the door on Marietta's comeback bid.

Vogl carried the ball 17 times for 145 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Blue Streak offensive attack. Quarterback Devin O'Brien rushed for 76 yards and was 8-of-14 for 76 yards passing. As a team, John Carroll rushed for 363 yards.

Harris had his third-straight 100-yard receiving game with five catches for 129 yards. Walker was the Pioneers' leading receiver on the night with nine receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively for Marietta, sophomore #Robert Brown (Middleburg, Fla./Nathan B. Forrest)# had a game-high 10 tackles. Freshman #Jake Green (Yulee, Fla./Yulee)# and senior #Dan Starr (Senecaville/Buckeye Trail)# each had nine stops, while junior #Gaston Hayes (Cleveland/Rhodes) recorded eight tackles and a sack.

The Pioneers are back at home next Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. game against the Yellow Jackets of Baldwin-Wallace.