COLUMBUS, Ohio -- On a beautiful fall afternoon at Bernlohr Stadium, the Capital University football team hung tough with the Marietta College Pioneers until a rocky fourth quarter spelled disaster. 

Heading to the fourth quarter with the score just 14-7, Marietta (2-1, 2-0) got a defensive safety before piling on three touchdowns in the final 10 minutes of the game to run out winners 37-7. 

The Pioneers got two touchdowns early in the game, by scoring twice in the first quarter on two touchdown passes from Connor Vierstra. Capital responded in the second quarter with a TD of their own on a 10-yard connection from Trevor Harrison Rawn to Mike Smith for the score. 

The game shifted through more than 30 minutes of game time before either team would next find a score. Capital did have an opportunity to tack on three more points in the second quarter, by Marietta's Darius Hatch got a hand on Eric Noble's 20-yard field goal attempt. 

In the fourth quarter, the Pioneers finally found a breakthrough. Defenders Vic Giovengo and Drake Neuberger combined for a sack on Jake Woycke in the end zone and got their team a safety. The play seemed to take all the wind out of the Capital sails and throw it right into the Marietta favor as the Pioneers blitzed the scoreboard for three quick-fire TDs in the final 5:54 of play. 

Vierstra ran in for two scores, sandwiched around a 45-yard scamper from Bryce Agnew to account for the late outburst of scoring. 

Capital did have some quality defensive plays throughout the game, including an immense 13-tackle effort from Nick Fisanick. Louie Hoersten and Jack Blaisdell amassed an impressive 11 stops each, while Blaisdell met the Pioneers in the backfield four times. Additionally, the Capital defense forced three turnovers on three fumbles and an interception. 

Right after Capital had thrown an interception of their own to Vic Giovengo, Balor Appiarius made an outstretched pick in the end zone on the very next play to eliminate a Marietta scoring chance midway through the game. Fisanick, Blaisdell, and Kobe Swackhammer eached forced a fumble, while Fisanick and James Curtis each were credited with a  fumble recovery. 

On the offensive side of the ball, Capital tallied 155 yards of passing and a net of 54 yards on the ground. In the air game, Woycke passed for 6-of-11 for 68 yards and a pick. Harrison-Rawn was 5-for-15 for 40 yards and a touchdown. Sam Pickett had one pass -- a 47-yard completion to Noah Meeker -- to account for the remaining passing yards. On the ground, Drew Engle picked up 38 yards on 12 attempts, while Harrison-Rawn added 20 yards with his legs. Receiving, Meeker had two catches for 58 yards, while Kameron Lee led the team with four catches for 30 yards. 

For Marietta's offense, Connor Vierstra passed for two scores and rushed for another two. He tallied up 229 yards through the air and 17 yards on the ground. Bryce Agnew rushed for an incredible 191 yards. Austin Veatch and Clay Mastin each caught a touchdown. Defensively, Drake Neuberger was a problem with 12 tackles (four for a loss), three sacks, and a forced fumble. Vic Giovengo had seven tackles and a pick. 

Capital will return to action next Saturday, October 2nd as they travel to Berea, Ohio to take on Baldwin Wallace University. Kickoff in the Cleveland suburb is slated for 1:30 p.m.