University of Mary football coach Myron Schulz isn't going to allow himself to sprout gray hairs over his team's stats.

There's one Marauders stat that's an eye catcher - U-Mary has been outscored 41-0 in the first quarter.

"Yeah, it's a stat," Schulz said, "but what we're worried about is the score at the end. Obviously it's not something you want. It's something you can't put a finger on. If you could, you would change it."

U-Mary spotted Chadron State and Upper Iowa 14-0 leads after the first quarter. MSU-Mankato led 13-0.

Schulz said the scoring stat doesn't change the way his staff prepares for a game.

"You can't panic," Schulz said. "You can't throw 10 fades. If you did, you might not have a completion, or you could have 10 touchdowns."

While Schulz would like his team to establish dominance early, he's not going to press his team. He doesn't want the Marauders to be overaroused for games.

"If you talk about it too much, they could dwell on it, and then you might lose them for the rest of the game," Schulz said. "I don't think there is a way to break it. If there was an easy answer, we would correct it."

U-Mary bows out of Griak

After U-Mary's performance this past weekend at Northern State, cross country coach Mike Thorson decided not to send his team to the Roy Griak meet in Minneapolis.

Instead, the Marauders will compete at the UND Ron Pynn Invitational on Friday.

The Griak meet is the top meet in the Midwest, which features high school and college divisions.

"We analyzed some things," Thorson said. "We figured (Pynn) would be a better meet for us. We would get more out of a lower meet. We're young and not ready for the Griak at this point. We need to get our runners some confidence. That's important at this point."

At Northern State, the U-Mary men placed third and the women fourth.

Freshman Eamin Entwisle was one of the few bright spots for U-Mary, placing sixth in the men's division.

"He had a nice performance, especially for a freshman," Thorson said. "It's not too often you have a freshman step in to that caliber of competition."

Entwisle is from Hot Springs, S.D., and was a former state champ in the 3,200-meter run.

Changing it up

U-Mary volleyball coach Heidi Sunderland was unsure of who would handle the majority of the setting chores during the preseason.

Justina Rudzitis has handled the majority of the duties in a 5-1 offense. The 5-foot-8 freshman from Anoka, Minn., has dished out 328 assists this season.

But Sunderland hasn't completely stuck to a 5-1. There's been times when U-Mary has used a 6-2 with Kelsey Hennessy splitting time with Rudzitis. The Marauders (0-1 NSIC, 2-11 overall) did use the 6-2 at times this past weekend at the MSU-Billings tournament.

"I'm not sold on the 5-1 yet," Sunderland said. "With (Rudzitis') size, there will be times when we have to run a 6-2, especially when teams dominate on the left side attack."

When she's not setting, Hennessy plays right back, which makes for an easy conversion from a 5-1 to a 6-2 during a match.

"If needed, she can step in and set," Sunderland said. "It's an easy conversion. It all comes down to flow of the offense and need."

The Marauders opened up conference play at home on Wednesday. They host to Augustana and Wayne State Friday and Saturday.

"I look at it like chapters in a book," Sunderland said. "The first chapter is over. One of the nice things about conference games is there's an emotional connection. That changes games for you and your players."

Kickers open up

conference play

Even though the U-Mary women's soccer team opens up conference play at 0-6, coach Levi Evans wouldn't change his beefed-up schedule.

U-Mary plays host to Northern State on Sunday - the Marauders' first home game of the season.

"A six-game road trip is tough, regardless who you're playing," Evans said. "We're 0-0 in conference play. Northern is 0-0 in conference play, and so is everybody else."

Northern (3-3) has beaten two NAIA schools and Adams State, a lower tier team in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

"This isn't a knock at Northern," Evans said. "But who's in a better place? I'd like to think we are. In the same sense, Northern could be in a pretty good place psychologically. I'm the one who scheduled this schedule. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't believe in the girls."

Copenhaver ties for

medalist honors

Bismarck State golfer Brock Copenhaver made a positive impression on coach Jason Harris.

Copenhaver tied for medalist honors at the Jamestown College Tournament this past weekend. The freshman from Wolf Point, Mont., shot a 75 on the first day and a 77 on the second day to card a 152.

"He was hitting the greens in regulation, and at the Jamestown Country Club that's tough," Harris said. "He hits the ball a long way, and he's able to recover from where he puts himself."

Harris estimated that Copenhaver averages 280 or 290 yards per drive.

On the first day, Copenhaver finished with 15 pars and three bogeys.

The Mystics play in Minot on Sunday and Monday.

Short Shots

n James Schanandore of Mandan won the Oz Memorial cross country meet for his second straight race victory of the season. Schanandore covered the 6K course in 19:18, his best time in a 6K at North Dakota State.

His brother, Tom, finished seventh in 19:58 - his best finish for NDSU.

n Mandy Gefroh of Bismarck finished in sixth place at the Northern State Roe Granger Invitational while competing for the University of North Dakota. Gefroh finished in a time of 24:11.00.

n Paige Nash of Dickinson has seen court time for the University of Montana volleyball team this season after a redshirt season last year. Nash, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker, has put down 15 kills. She has also collected four stuff blocks and has assisted on 20.

n Katelynn Steffan of Dickinson has made an impact on the Colorado State volleyball team. The 6-foot-4 opposite hitter/middle blocker has played in nine matches, collecting 82 kills and eight service aces. She has collected one stuff block and has 27 assist blocks.

n Kayla Fee of Williston dished out 47 assists and collected 16 digs while leading Jamestown College to a 3-2 upset of the University of North Dakota. It was UND's first loss of the season and the first time Jamestown (8-6) has beaten the Fighting Sioux (12-1).