ALLIANCE – Mount Union beat Marietta 20-3 in an Ohio Athletic Conference game Friday night at Mount Union Stadium.

Defense ruled the day as the Purple Raiders (3-0) held the Pioneers (1-2) to 116 total yards. Mount Union linebacker Mason McMillen (Wadsworth) had 13 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception while fellow linebacker Kaleb Detellem (Batavia) had a safety.

On offense, quarterback Braxton Plunk (Plant City, Fla.) went 27-for-47 for 327 yards and three touchdowns, one each to Ulice Gillard (Orlando, Fla. / Lake Nona), Jaden Manley (Columbus / Bishop Hartley), and Wayne Ruby, Jr. (Miami, Fla. / Flanagan). Ruby finished with nine catches for 129 yards and Josh Petruccelli (Perry) ran for 74 yards on 21 carries.

Mount Union went 10 plays on its first drive but turned the ball over on downs at the Marietta 33. The Pioneers then engineered a 14-play, 48-yard drive and Logan Alward kicked a 38-yard field goal and Marietta led 3-0. The Raiders came back covering 84 yards in seven plays and Plunk hit Manley on a 16-yard touchdown pass, the extra point was no good and Mount Union led 6-3 after the first quarter.

Both teams traded possessions then Detellem tackled Marietta quarterback Ethan Brown in the end zone for a safety and the Raiders took an 8-3 lead. Each team came up empty on two more possessions before halftime.

The only score in the third quarter was a Plunk touchdown pass to Gillard for 19 yards and the Raiders led 14-3 after three quarters.

McMillen had an interception on the Pioneers first drive of the fourth quarter and on the very next play Plunk hit Ruby on a 47-yard touchdown pass to put Mount Union up 20-3.