DENVER – Metropolitan State University of Denver picked up another victory Saturday in the Colorado Premier Challenge, allowing the Roadrunners to place third in the Silver Bracket.
 
The Roadrunners (4-4) opened the day by testing 13^th-ranked West Florida before falling 3-1, then swept Saint Leo (Fla.) 3-0 to wrap up their stay in one of the top Division II volleyball tournaments in the country.
 
"It was great to come out 2-2 in this tournament," MSU Denver coach Jenny Glenn said. "We had opportunities to come out even better than that, too.
 
"This tournament brings out everything in you, and it forces you to play fatigued. Four matches in basically 24 hours challenges you physically and mentally."
 
Taylor Duryea (Logan, Utah/Sky View) had 62 kills for the tournament, averaging 4.1 per set.
 
MSU Denver 3, Saint Leo 0
 
The Roadrunners were hoping for a three-set sweep and got it, winning 25-22, 25-21, 25-21.
 
Duryea capped a strong tournament with 14 kills in the win over Saint Leo, while Alyssa Kelling (Merton, Wis./Arrowhead) hit .462 on eight kills. Morgan Weatherwax (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain) set 19 assists, Lyric Hebert (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley) had 21 digs, and Jessa Megenhardt (Berthoud, Colo./Berthoud) had three service aces.
 
Set one: Duryea's kill started a 4-0 run that gave the Roadrunners a 22-18 lead, and though Saint Leo pulled within 23-22, back-to-back kills by Duryea and Santaisha Sturges (Parker, Colo./Regis Jesuit) ended it.
 
Set two: Duryea had two kills and a service ace during a 5-0 run that gave MSU Denver a 10-7 lead, and though the Lions pulled into a tie three times, MSU Denver never trailed the rest of the set.
 
Set three: Four straight points gave the Roadrunners a 22-17 lead, and Kelling kills accounted for the final two MSU Denver points.
 
"This team is starting to figure out our identity, and this was a big step in that direction," Glenn said.
 
West Florida 3, MSU Denver 1
 
No. 13 West Florida jumped out to an early lead and held off MSU Denver's attempt to force a fifth set in winning 25-21, 25-18, 20-25, 25-23.
 
The Argonauts' block was a major factor in the first and last sets – they had seven team blocks in the opener and five in set four.
 
Duryea had 15 kills while hitting .312 to lead the Roadrunners. Sturges had 10 kills and matched a career high with three service aces. Meanwhile, Avaline Lai (Boulder, Colo./Fairview) hit a team-best .417 on seven kills. Megenhardt and Weatherwax each set 22 assists.
 
Makenzie Chrisman led West Florida (4-3) with 11 kills.
 
"We felt like we let an opportunity slip away in that match," Duryea said.
 
Set one: The Argonauts scored six straight points for an 8-4 lead and stayed in control until MSU Denver put together a 6-0 run of its own to take a 16-14 lead. But the Argonauts broke away from an 18-18 tie with four straight points as they were able to overcome six kills by Duryea in the opening set.
 
Set two: The Argonauts fed off another 6-0 run, this one for an 8-5 lead, and kept the Roadrunners at bay.
 
Set three: MSU Denver played with the lead until the Argonauts scored three straight for a 10-9 advantage. But the Roadrunners answered with four in a row and six of seven to regain control at 15-11. With the Roadrunners up 17-13, Duryea had 12 kills and was hitting .550 for the match. West Florida pulled within 21-19 but MSU Denver responded.  Back-to-back block assists for Stephanie Laraway (Lakewood, Colo./Lakewood) and Lai give MSU Denver set point at 24-19. And then Lai's kill ended it at 25-20.
 
Set four: MSU Denver led 13-11, but the Argonauts scored six of the the next nine points to take a 17-16 lead.  A Lai kill put the Roadrunners back in front 20-19, but Nadine Williams had two kills in a 4-1 run that gave the Argonauts a 23-21 advantage. Duryea's kill tied it 23-23, but West Florida collected the final two points to close it out. West Florida hit a match-best .312 in the fourth set and added five blocks.