DENVER – The Metropolitan State University of Denver women's soccer team has posted four straight shutouts for the first time since … OK, it was only last year.
 
But five straight shutouts? Now that would be historic. Not since 2009 have the Roadrunners held five straight opponents scoreless.
 
MSU Denver (6-1-1 overall, 4-0 and tied for first in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) would gladly take another shutout if it can get it Friday in a 7:30 p.m. road game at Dixie State (5-2, 1-2 and tied for seventh).
 
Ultimately, though, the Roadrunners are hoping to pick up two victories of any kind in a trip through Utah that includes a 2:30 p.m. Sunday contest with Westminster (6-1, 3-0 and tied for fourth).
 
"I love seeing the stats and seeing what's happened, but really it's focusing on what our objective is ahead," MSU Denver coach Tracy Chao said. "Four shutouts at home is great, but now we're playing in four straight road games (the Roadrunners play the following weekend at Adams State and Fort Lewis), which is a lot different. We're out of our comfort zone a little bit."
 
Four straight shutouts held little sway with voters in the national poll – MSU Denver dropped two spots in the rankings to No. 13 this week, despite wins of 2-0 over Colorado Mesa and 3-0 against Western State Colorado.
 
Both Dixie State and Westminster have quality scoring options in Whitley Johns (nine points, tied for second in the RMAC with two game-winning goals) and Emma Heyn (four goals, RMAC leader with three game-winners), respectively.
 
But it takes more than just shutting down a single player.
 
"It's the small things that lead up to shutouts," Chao said. "Things like our (defensive) shape, how we defend as a unit, the things we are concentrating on eliminating like giving up set pieces, chances within the final third (of the field), blocking shots. There are a lot of moments that lead up to that, and we're focusing on the actions and eliminating those things so that the end result is getting a zero on the scoreboard."
 
MSU Denver's Jessica Mooney (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield), who leads the RMAC with six assists and is the league's reigning defensive player of the week, is just part of a stellar defensive group. Goalkeeper Erica Torres (Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield), who has moved into fourth in school history with 18 career saves, leads the league with a .911 save percentage and ranks third with an 0.49 goals-against average.
 
It will take some strong defensive work, plus just enough offense, for the Roadrunners to maintain their unblemished league record.
 
"All around, this is a tough weekend with two solid opponents," Chao said. "They're both athletic with good players, they're organized and they are coached really well."