DENVER – Many times, a No. 8 seed going in to play on the road against the No. 1 seed is probably in for a long evening.
 
However, MSU Denver ventures into its 7:30 p.m. Thursday match at Regis in the first round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional volleyball tournament with more confidence than your typical No. 8 seed.
 
That's because just 10 weeks ago the Roadrunners went into Regis Field House and won 3-1, and in fairly convincingly fashion.
 
"I think that just goes to show how strong and good our region is, because the 8-seed has beaten the 1-seed," junior outside hitter Kayla White said. "I think it's anyone's game at this point. We should be going in confident."
 
Despite that win, and despite finishing only one win behind Regis in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular-season race (Regis was 17-1, MSU Denver went 16-2) and despite an RPI ranking that – before reaching the finals of the RMAC Tournament – was fourth-best in the region, MSU Denver settled for the No. 8 seed.
 
No matter though, because in order to reach the Division II National Championships (Elite Eight) as regional champions, the Roadrunners would have to beat higher-seeded teams eventually.
 
"We have that confidence, but there's also a sense of needing to prove ourselves," senior middle blocker Alyssa Kelling said. "We might think we shouldn't be the 8-seed, but let's go prove it and show why we shouldn't be."
 
About those national championships: in case you missed it, the eight regional champions advance to play on MSU Denver's home floor at the Auraria Event Center from Dec. 12 through Dec. 14.
 
Coming home to play in the Elite Eight would be a dream come true.
 
"We aren't looking too far ahead, which we haven't all season," junior outside hitter Alexis Benda said. "But it's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have the chance to play for the national championship on your home court.
 
"So that's driving us, because that will never happen again – to play in front of your fans, use your own locker room and sleep in your own bed. It's out there in the distance, but we've got three matches ahead of us before we can get there."
 
Said Kelling: "We haven't talked about it much as a team. But for myself, I've definitely thought about it, just because it's my senior year. I want to come back and play on that floor at least one last time. The goal, obviously, is to win a national championship and I obviously can't think of a better way to end my senior year. This team is in a spot where we are definitely capable of it."
 
Back to the regional, though.
 
Like MSU Denver (23-7), both top-seeded Regis (25-4) and No. 2 seed Colorado School of Mines (23-6) are also trying to earn a chance to play for the national championship in their home city. And Mines is hot, having beaten both Regis and MSU Denver on the road to win the RMAC Tournament despite finishing tied for fourth in the regular season.
 
"It'll be an interesting regional," Metropolitan State University of Denver coach Jenny Glenn said. "All the teams from one through eight are great teams. I'm excited to see how teams match up with each other. From our standpoint, we're facing a very familiar team in a very familiar environment. Hopefully that goes in our favor."
 
MSU Denver beat Regis 21-25, 25-21, 25-14, 27-25 when the teams played at Regis on Sept. 27, delivering 11 service aces.
 
Regis bounced back for a 3-0 win (25-19, 25-14, 27-25) when the teams played a non-conference match at the Auraria Event Center on Nov. 5.
 
"We have to serve tough and stay aggressive against that team," White said. "You have to stay strong. You have to stay aggressive and you need to stay in the next play mentality. As soon as you go passive you get in trouble."
 
MSU Denver had just two aces and a stunning 23 hitting errors in the second meeting with Regis. The Roadrunners are hoping to correct that.
 
"We looked at it a little bit, but we also realize that what happened wasn't what another team was doing to us, it was us kind of beating ourselves," Kelling said. "We know we're fully capable. We have that confidence still. We just have to go out and show it."
 
Besides the three RMAC schools, the other teams in the regional field are all from the Lone Star Conference: No. 3 seed Angelo State (Texas) (28-2), No. 4 Arkansas-Fort Smith (26-6), No. 5 Texas A&M-Commerce (24-6), No. 6 West Texas A&M (22-6) and No. 7 Tarleton State (Texas) (22-11).
 
MSU Denver lost two meetings with Mines this season, unable to convert five first-set set points in a 3-1 loss in the regular-season meeting, then squandering seven set points (four in the first set, three in the fourth) in a 3-1 loss in the RMAC final.
 
The Roadrunners have also faced Tarleton State this season, losing 3-2 after being unable to capitalize on four fifth-set match points.
 
Yes, it's that close.
 
"If the 8-seed has beaten the 1-seed, then you know how tight the region is," Benda said. "It's going to come down to whoever is playing the best that night. We're going in with the mindset that there's really nothing to lose. We're just playing for another day of volleyball."
 
After graduating two All-American outside hitters (Santaisha Sturges and Taylor Duryea) from last year's team, the Roadrunners were certainly transitioning when this season began.
 
However, with the leadership of captains Kelling, White and Benda, improved play from returning veterans and strong contributions from newcomers, MSU Denver emerged as a diversified team that earned its way into a 20^th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament – the fourth-longest active streak in Division II.
 
"I don't think of this group as a young group," Kelling said. "It feels like everyone has been here forever. Our team meshes super well. We've talked with our freshmen about what the postseason looks like, so they have a good grasp of it being go-time, do or die. They're ready to go and attack these teams."
 
Playing the regional tournament across town, with a first-round match against a team you've already played twice, doesn't necessarily feel like your typical NCAA Tournament experience. But there are some advantages, too.
 
"It makes things seem a little smaller, that's for sure," Benda said. "It's nice to be close to home so that we can get a few extra fans. And Regis is like a second home for us, just because we've played there so many times. We know the facility, we know about the low ceiling, so it feels good to play there, too. It's nice for academics, because we're able to stick around for an extra day and be in class."
 
Said Glenn: "We'll isolate ourselves, so that it does feel like a championship experience, but we also get the familiarity of playing just down the road. Not having to travel, not missing as much school as others, playing at altitude when it's what we play at all the time – there's some things in our favor. The other side of it is that it's a very familiar foe, so it's anti-climactic in that sense. It'll also come down to who executes their game plan better."
 
Should the Roadrunners win their opening match, they would play in the semifinals Friday at 7:30 p.m. against the winner of the Arkansas-Fort Smith match against Texas A&M-Commerce. The regional final is Saturday at 5 p.m.
 
Win three times and MSU Denver would be playing for the championship in its own gym.
 
"It's something we've had our sights set on, in the distance, since the beginning," Glenn said. "They know it's here and they'd love to be playing on our home floor again. But we've got a lot of work to do before that's a possibility. There's a lot to be said about having the opportunity to win a national championship on our home floor. Very few people get that opportunity."