UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio — John Carroll University defeated Marietta College by the score of 45-10 Saturday (Oct. 8) afternoon in Ohio Athletic Conference football action. The loss drops Marietta to 2-3 overall and 1-3 in the OAC. The Blue Streaks improve to 4-1 on the season and 4-0 in conference play.
After the teams traded punts on their first possession of the game, John Carroll grabbed the lead with a six-play, 52-yard scoring drive. Demerius Goodwin capped the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run and Yanni Volas added the extra point.
Marietta threw three straight incomplete passes on the next drive and was forced to punt again. The Blue Streaks needed just three plays to reach the endzone. Joe Collins connected with Brennan Fugh on a 30-yard scoring strike. Volas made it 14-0 with the extra point.
John Carroll extended its lead to 21-0 early in the second quarter on a 70-yard touchdown run by Evan McVay.
Marietta got on the board on the ensuing possession. The Pioneers drove to the JCU 1-yard line. Quarterback
Connor Vierstra (Thornville, Ohio/Lakewood) faked a handoff to running back
Bryce Agnew (Cleveland, Ohio/Berea-Midpark) and ran the ball in for the score.
Lucas Shepherd (Chesapeake, Ohio/Chesapeake) added the point after.
The Blue Streaks answered with their fourth touchdown of the afternoon. Collins finished off an eight-play, 40-yard drive with a 6-yard pass to McVay. Volas made it 28-7 with the extra point.
The Pioneers drove to the John Carroll 12-yard line as time was winding down in the first half. Vierstra dropped back to pass and lost the ball which was scooped up by Michael Palmer and returned 83 yards for a touchdown. Volas added the point after giving the Blue Streaks a 35-7 lead at halftime.
Collins threw his third touchdown pass of the game midway through the third quarter extending the JCU lead to 42-7. Collins hit McVay for an 11-yard touchdown.
Shepherd kicked a 30-yard field goal for the Pioneers and Volas nailed a 39-yard field goal for JCU accounting for the final points of the game.
Agnew led the Pioneers with 119 yards rushing on 26 carries. Vierstra completed 12-of-22 passes for 134 yards.
John Sierputowski (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) caught four passes for 100 yards.
Collins finished 15-of-19 passing for 195 yards and three touchdowns. McVay carried the ball six times for 111 yards. Mason Sullivan rushed for 60 yards on 11 carries.
Marietta returns home to host Wilmington College for Homecoming next Saturday (Oct. 15). Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
Fans can follow all the Pioneer teams all year long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.
