Monterey, Calif.- The Metropolitan State University of Denver women's volleyball team competed in the second day of the Otter Classic on Saturday, September 2. The Roadrunners fell in three sets in both matches - the first match to Northwest Nazarene and the second Cal-State Monterey Bay.   The Roadrunners end the weekend with an overall record of 2-2. Junior Santaisha Sturges (Parker, Colo./Regis Jesuit H.S.) was named to the all-tournament team.
 
In the first match of the day against Northwest Nazarene, junior Taylor Duryea (Logan, Utah/Sky View High School) scored the first point of the set for the Roadrunners, but the Crusaders came at the Roadrunners scoring the next 10 points to go up 10-1. MSU Denver fought back with a series of attacks to bring the score back within one at 13-14. The two sides went back-and-forth with the Crusaders taking a 16-20 lead over the Roadrunners and take the set 20-25. 
 
The Crusaders carried the momentum into the second set earning a 13-25 win over the Roadrunners. 
 
MSU Denver came back strong in the third set maintaining a lead over Northwest Nazarene throughout most of the set.  The Crusaders kept the score close and would tie the set up at 17 and go on to take a 17-18 lead.  The Roadrunners fought back and tied the game up at 19. Then the Crusaders closed out the match after taking a 19-22 lead and they would go on to win the third set 21-25.
 
Sturges led the attack for MSU Denver with 12 kills. Duryea and senior Vasati Fiatoa (Las Vegas, Nev./Bonanza H.S.) each added six kills for the Roadrunners.
 
In the second match of the day, the Roadrunners took on host school, Cal-State Monterey Bay. The beginning of the first set went back-and-forth between the two sides with the Roadrunners leading by as many as three points early on. The Otters stole the lead from the Roadrunners at 10-11 and would eventually take the largest lead of the set at 14-19.  The Roadrunners rallied back to bring the score within one at 19-20. The Otters finished the set on a 5-1 run and won set one 20-25. 
 
The Otters got off to a strong start in the second set taking a 4-1 lead, but the Roadrunners would go on to tie the set up at 5. However, Monterey Bay regained the lead and would not relinquish it throughout the set.  The Otters won the second by a score of 20-25. 
 
The third set was a battle between the two sides with several lead changes.  The Otters came out on top, taking the match in the third set 19-25. 
 
MSU Denver's attack was led by Duryea with 12 kills and Sturges with 11.  Senior Alyssa Svalberg (Aurora, Colo./Grandview H.S.) tallied 29 assists in the second match for the Roadrunners.
 
The Roadrunners will return home to host the Colorado Premier with their first match against Angelo State on Friday, September 8 at 2:30 p.m.