COLUMBUS, Ohio – After warming up in the pouring rain, the Capital University men's lacrosse team got to enjoy a few pockets of sunshine and dry conditions during their 13-7 win over the visiting Marietta College Pioneers on Wednesday evening. 

The win pushed Capital forward to a 5-6 overall record and an even 2-2 mark in conference play. The decision set Marietta back to 2-9 and 0-4 in the OAC. 

The Comets shared the ball around as they scored 13 goals on the evening from five different goal scorers. Nine of those 13 tallies were assisted, with four coming from Jack Scharner. Leading the way in the scoring column were Mason Spaulding and Evan Frund who each netted four times. They were followed closely behind by Brenden Pelton with three strikes. Scharner and Nathan Montgomery each added one goal apiece as well. 

Defensively, Capital gobbled up 33 ground balls, led by six from Sam McInturf and five in the stick of Doc Crimmel. Chase Snyder and Jack Conley each contributed three pick-ups as well. As a unit, Cap forced nine turnovers with two each coming from Crimmel and Snyder. 

McInturf defended the cage stoutly, making 18 saves in the game – a new season-high. He held the Pioneers to just three goals until a late four count in the final three minutes brought that total to seven. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Through the first quarter of play, Capital dominated the Pioneers, keeping the ball in the attacking half of play for most of the frame. The possession control paid off with four goals for the Comets. Jack Scharner played distributor in the quarter, assisting three of the four goals scored. He also set up Evan Frund's unassisted tally in the quarter. The four goals came courtesy of Brenden Pelton, Frund x2, and Mason Spaulding. Marietta interrupted the near perfect first quarter with a goal off the stick of Connor Ficke. 

Out of the first quarter break, Capital scored a fifth off a nice strike from Mason Spaulding. Pelton picked the assist on the goal. Not long after, Evan Frund polished off his hat-trick and off the ensuing faceoff win from Mikey Collins, Spaulding snuck in a seventh goal for the Comets. Later on in the quarter, Cap once again used a quickfire offense as they scored twice in just over a minute behind strikes from Pelton and Nathan Montgomery. Just after Marietta netted a man-up goal, the Comets restored their eight-goal advantage just before the intermission on an athletic goal scored by Jack Scharner. Chase Snyder picked up the assist on the play. 

In the third quarter, the Comets had a much subdued start to the quarter, but eventually found their groove offensively. In just under two minutes of action, Cap got goals from Evan Frund, Brenden Pelton, and Mason Spaulding to open up a 10-goal spread. 

With the game pretty much settled, both teams cruised it into the fourth quarter, where Capital may have taken too laxed of an approach to closing out the game as the Pioneers netted four goals in the final 2:51 of game time to close the final score to 13-7. Nonetheless, Capital prevailed by six goals, getting a much-needed OAC win. 

THE OPPONENT
Marietta was led in scoring by three players who each scored twice – Connor Ficke, Zach Radcliffe, and Chase Franklin. Nathan Grover went 14-for-24 on faceoffs and picked up eight ground balls. Goalie Dane Barker made 11 saves. 

UP NEXT
Capital will travel to Otterbein on Saturday, April 9th for the Crosstown Rivalry Match-Up, presented by Byers Airport Subaru. The battle of the oar will begin at 1 p.m. at Otterbein's Memorial Stadium.