DENVER – Chances are, Metropolitan State University of Denver goalkeeper James Tanner (Lake Stevens, Wash./Lake Stevens) will be tested this weekend.
 
He's coming off his ninth career shutout, even though he didn't have to make a save to do it. The Roadrunners held then-No. 15 St. Edward's (Texas) without a shot on goal in Sunday's 1-0 victory.
 
"We joked with James and told him to make sure he kept the paychecks coming to everyone else, to make sure he didn't have much to do," MSU Denver coach Jeremy Tittle said, laughing. "I don't know that we've made that a goal by any stretch, but it's a great thing to limit scoring chances. And if your goalkeeper only has two or three important saves to make, that's a good game."
 
The Roadrunners figure to be tested more frequently by both Regis and Fort Hays State (Kan.).
 
The 6 p.m. home game with Regis on Friday at the Regency Athletic Complex won't count in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings, but is still a key regional matchup. Regis is 0-2 after losing two games on a Florida road trips by scores of 2-1.
 
"It's a good time to play an extra game with them, it's local and it's good competition," Tittle said.
 
The road matchup with Fort Hays State at noon MDT will be the second Sunday in a row that the Roadrunners will play the 15^th-ranked team in Division II.
 
Fort Hays State (2-0), the preseason favorite in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, moved into the ratings on the strength of a 4-2 win over then-No. 3 Rockhurst (Mo.). The Tigers also have a Thursday night matchup with second-ranked Midwestern State (Texas) to play first.
 
Fort Hays State's Sergio Villalba has three goals already this season.
 
MSU Denver has scored just two goals thus far, but generated far more opportunities in its win over St. Edward's than it did in a season-opening loss to St. Mary's (Texas). St. Mary's has jumped into the national ratings at No. 12 since coming from behind to beat the Roadrunners 2-1 while limiting MSU Denver to just one shot on goal.
 
"We continue to get better each time we play," Tittle said. "We were disappointed Friday (against St. Mary's), thought we could've done a lot more and better to close that game out. But we didn't. But the guys responded really well, saw what we needed to do, spent a lot of time watching film and in training Saturday."
 
Jaime Gutierrez (Aurora, Colo./Aurora West College Prep Academy) was a major offensive factor in the win over St. Edward's, scoring a goal, putting another shot on goal and generating opportunities.
 
"He's been great," Tittle said. "He's got a great attitude towards training and perfecting his craft. As a new guy he's been so receptive and attentive to all the returners and how we do things here. He made a really astute comment Wednesday watching film, so I know he's really engaged with what's going on around him."