DENVER – Wherever Gabriella Gamboa goes on the soccer pitch, it seems like contact follows.
 
"She isn't necessarily looking for a physical matchup, but she does engage physically," Metropolitan State University of Denver coach Tracy Chao said. "Our opponents know that she's strong. And she's super technical. She's one of only a few players in the conference who can consistently bring a ball down, any way you give it to her, and stop it on a dime. She's strong and she can hold the ball.
 
"So our opponents have to find a way to engage and disrupt her."
 
As the physical level of play has stepped up late in the season, so has Gamboa's play. She scored MSU Denver's goal Friday in a key 1-1 tie with Regis that helped the Roadrunners secure the sixth seed for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
She leads the team with five goals and 13 points, having scored two goals in the past four games. Earlier this week she was named to the All-RMAC first team and also earned MSU Denver Student-Athlete of the Week honors.
 
"It's exciting and I feel good about it," Gamboa said. "But I'm not done yet."
 
Gamboa and the Roadrunners (7-8-3 overall, 6-4-3 RMAC) are back in action Friday in the first-round of the RMAC Tournament, when they square off with third-seeded Dixie State (10-3-4, 8-2-3).
 
Because of the RMAC's new tournament format, rather than traveling to play at a higher-seeded opponent, MSU Denver's portion of the bracket is being hosted by second-seeded Colorado School of Mines – thus the Roadrunners merely have to go across town to play.
 
"It's going to be a really good game," Gamboa said. "We tied them in regular-season play, so I feel like we can beat them. We're going to be close to home, so that's a huge advantage. We're going to come out hungry and wanting to beat them."
 
"This is their last year in the RMAC (Dixie State is moving up to NCAA Division I), so it's our last chance to play them, and we want to beat them."
 
And no doubt, Gamboa will find herself with defenders draped all over her again.
 
"It's hard," Gamboa said. "I'm strong, but it comes to a point where they push me off the ball and that gets me frustrated. I just need to stay composed."
 
Gamboa has been frustrating her opponents, particularly of late.
 
She has put 12 of her last 18 shots on goal, including all five of her attempts against Regis. For the season she's put 27 of her 50 shots on target.
 
"Shooting is one thing, but shooting on frame is another," Chao said.
 
While Gamboa and RMAC Co-Player of the Year Reigna Banks formed a formidable 1-2 punch last year, Gamboa has had to fly solo this season since Banks completed her eligibility.
 
She had only two goals – both against an overmatched New Mexico Highlands – in the first 10 games, but was urged to shoot more by Chao in mid-October and has been tough to stop ever since.
 
"I feel like I need to keep shooting, because that's probably my biggest strength," said Gamboa, who had six goals last season.
 
Said Chao: "She's getting in positions where she's creating more opportunities for herself. And she's finding ways to finish.
 
 "Maybe she has a sense of urgency, that the end of the season is in sight and she's got to bring more to the table. Whatever is motivating her is working."
 
Right now, the motivation is to take another shot at Dixie State. The teams battled to a 0-0 tie on Oct. 4.
 
And, all things considered, playing as the sixth seed across town seems like more of an advantage than a third seed having to make the long journey for the matchup.
 
"Certainly, had we not finished first or second, we wanted to finish third," Chao said. "But the way things played out, we're in a good position. We matched up well with Dixie at home. Now they have to travel back, and we get to sleep in our own beds. Not much changes in terms of our schedule, rehab, the things we have access to.
 
"They are athletic. They've got pace. They're strong up top. But I feel like it was even the last time, a tale of two halves. I felt like we dominated the first half, and they dominated the second half, and then the two overtimes were back-and-forth.
 
"Both teams are going to create chances, it's just a matter of who is going to score one or two."
 
Friday's winners advance to Sunday's noon semifinal, also at Mines, against the winner of Friday's other first-round game, between the second-seeded hosts and seventh-seeded Fort Lewis.
 
The other half of the bracket is being hosted by national No. 1 UCCS. The tournament champion gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
"We have to get through Dixie first, and I think we have a good chance to do that," Gamboa said.