Denver- The Metropolitan State University of Denver men's soccer team defeated Westminster 3-1 on Sunday, September 18. The Roadrunners improve to 3-2-1 overall & 1-0-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Westminster drops to 1-4 overall & 0-2 in RMAC play.
 
The Roadrunners started the game relentlessly pressuring the Griffins off the opening kick with a number of centering chances. MSU Denver's efforts were rewarded when senior Josh Belfrage (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista H.S.) capitalized off a penalty kick with his third goal of the season at the 12 minute mark to put the Roadrunners up 1-0.
 
Senior Dustin Berg (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County H.S.) came into the game late in the first half and made his presence felt instantly. Berg notched his first point of 2016 with a pass to freshman Sergio Carvajal (Roswell, N.M./Roswell High School), who scored the first of his MSU Denver career in the 42^nd minute. The Roadrunners took a 2-0 lead into half, outshooting the Griffins 3-0 and holding the advantage in corners 2-0.
 
Just as they did in the first, the Roadrunners came out quick in the second half, scoring in the 50^th minute via a pass into the box from freshman Javier Arellano (Fort Lupton, Colo./Fort Lupton High School) to fellow freshman Dimitri Ney (Grenoble, France/Lycée Pablo Néruda), another Roadrunner to score their first career goal on Sunday. But just like that, Westminster struck back with a goal of their own less than two minutes later to cut the Roadrunner lead to 3-1.
 
Senior goalkeeper Hayden Rus (Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert H.S.) had a highlight reel save in the 65^th minute diving to his right to save a Griffin penalty shot to keep the Roadrunner advantage at two.  Rus finished the day with 4 saves to complete an outstanding opening weekend in conference play.
 
Both teams played very physical for the majority of the second half, with multiple cards assessed, but the Roadrunners were able to hold off Westminster to pick up their first conference victory of 2016.
 
MSU Denver will play their first two RMAC road matches of 2016 next weekend. They will face Colorado Christian on Friday, September 23 at 12 p.m. and at Colorado School of Mines on Sunday, September 25 at 2:30 p.m.