DENVER – The MSU Denver volleyball team will be looking to maintain its momentum this weekend as it plays host to a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference matches.
 
Neighborhood foes Colorado Christian and Regis come to the Auraria Event Center. The CCU match is Friday at 7 p.m., while the showdown with 21^st-ranked Regis, part of MSU Denver's 50 Years of Volleyball Celebration, is Saturday at 5 p.m.
 
"I'm super excited," senior outside hitter Santaisha Sturges (Parker, Colo./Regis Jesuit) said. "They're both really good teams. CCU always comes out and plays their best against us. So does Regis."
 
Metropolitan State University of Denver is 6-4 overall and 2-0 in the RMAC after winning twice last weekend in a road trip to Adams State and Fort Lewis. Fort Lewis extended the match to four sets.
 
"We got the Ws, but there were things that were shown that we need to work on," Sturges said. "We still have the mindset of working to improve things."
 
Taylor Duryea (Logan, Utah/Sky View) leads the Roadrunners with 3.5 kills per set, third-best in the RMAC.
 
Colorado Christian is just 3-9 overall and 1-2 in the RMAC after being picked to finish fourth in the league.
 
But four of the Cougars' losses have come against top-10 teams, and their two RMAC losses were to defending co-champions and preseason favorites Regis and Colorado School of Mines, both in the top 25. The Cougars also lost a non-conference match to Regis.
 
Regis, picked by coaches to win the league, enters the weekend 6-5 overall and 2-1 in the RMAC. The Rangers have beaten two top-five teams and have lost to three ranked teams, including Mines.
 
Regis features preseason RMAC player of the year Nikki Kennedy, who averages 3.1 kills per set on .347 hitting and averages 1.3 blocks per set.
 
"We play two teams we have rivalries with in different ways," MSU Denver coach Jenny Glenn said. "CCU is always going to bring it. Many of our matches have gone five (sets) with them. They'll take you to the limit and not give in easily. And obviously Regis is a long-time rival. They've hit some bumps early in their schedule, but I fully expect them to come at us. It's always a fun matchup and both teams enjoy the rivalry."