DENVER – This might seem like it's a rebuilding year, but after seeing MSU Denver compete Friday against nationally-ranked opponents, it might be time to reevaluate.
 
Yes, the Roadrunners lost two matches in the Colorado Premier Challenge, but the 3-2 setback to ninth-ranked Tarleton State (Texas) and the 3-1 defeat by 15^th-ranked Southwest Minnesota State are probably more impressive than the work the Roadrunners did in going 4-0 last weekend at the Concordia-Portland (Ore.) Invitational.
 
"I never like to lose, so I'm not satisfied with a loss, but I do think this is the best I've seen this group play," Metropolitan State University of Denver coach Jenny Glenn said. "I thought we handled the jump in level (of play) from last week to this week really well and made good adjustments throughout the course of the day. We want to adapt and overcome, and I thought we did a good job of getting better."
 
Tarleton State survived four fifth-set match points and thwarted MSU Denver's attempt to overcome a two-set deficit in a 25-23, 25-23, 21-25, 18-25, 17-15 victory. The Roadrunners actually scored five points more in the match than did the ninth-ranked Texans.
 
"We took a step in the right direction," outside hitter Kayla White said. "We knew it was going to be a different kind of volleyball from the Portland tournament. We saw our potential, what we have to come and what we have to work on. Now we know we have everything it takes, but we've got to take a step up in practice. We've shown there's a lot of expectation for this season."
 
Because the Tarleton State match lasted 2 hours, 45 minutes, the Roadrunners had to make a quick turnaround and play Southwest Minnesota State just 45 minutes later. After losing the first set 25-15, MSU Denver was much more competitive in dropping the second set 25-23, winning the third 25-18 and eventually losing 25-20 in the fourth.
 
"It was an extremely tough turnaround from an extremely long five-setter against a regional opponent and then have to turn around and play another top team in the country," Glenn said. "But that's what the Colorado Premier is, and we knew that coming in. It's just going to strengthen us for the long haul."
 
Oh, and it doesn't get any easier Saturday in the tournament that features eight of the top 15 teams in Division II – nine of the 12 teams are ranked and the other three are receiving votes.
 
The Roadrunners face top-ranked defending national champion Tampa (Fla.) in a 5 p.m. match at the Auraria Events Center after the Spartans lost twice Friday to also fall into the Bronze Bracket.
 
MSU Denver's first match Saturday is at 11:30 a.m. against 13^th-ranked Barry (Fla.), which was also 0-2. Since Barry and Tampa are in the same conference, the Bronze Bracket won't actually be played in bracket format and so the matchups are already set.
 
"It doesn't get any easier," Glenn said. "That's the defending national champions in the bronze bracket."
 
Said outside hitter Alexis Benda: "We'll reflect on how the day went, take care of our bodies, come back and start all over. It's going to be the same thing. Just because we're in bronze, it doesn't mean we're facing any lesser opponents."
 
In the opening match Friday, MSU Denver appeared on the verge of completing a dramatic comeback that included added fifth-set suspense as it was delayed approximately 15 minutes by video replay reviews.
 
In the roller-coaster final set, MSU Denver jumped out to a 5-1 lead before falling behind 10-6. Then the Roadrunners took an 11-10 lead. After a Tarleton State point, the Roadrunners took a 14-11 lead. But the Texans fought off three match points, and another at 15-14, to earn the victory in their second five-set match of the day (earlier they had lost to Southwest Minnesota State).
 
The Roadrunners outhit Tarleton State .183 to .165 for the match, including .343 to .158 in their convincing fourth-set win.
 
White overcome a frustrating first set and wound up with career highs of 15 kills and 21 digs. Benda and freshman Rylee Hladky each had 14 kills, and Avaline Lai – in her first extended action of the season – had 11 kills while hitting .364.
 
For the day, White had 27 kills, while Benda had 25, including a career-high 14 against Tarleton State.
 
"Our left-sides, specifically Kayla and Alexis, are learning how to move the ball," Glenn said. "The defenses we played today were really disciplined. They are hard to score on if you just hit a traditional shot. So the fact that they were able to move their wrists a little bit and create more opportunities for themselves, that allowed them to be more successful."
 
Lai, meanwhile, who played outside hitter as a freshman but was being groomed for a role as a middle blocker, had 21 kills while having just four errors in 48 attacks for a .354 hitting percentage in the two matches.
 
"She's actually a middle, but personnel-wise we feel like it's the best fit right now on the right side," Glenn said. "She's an offensive threat. She plays super high. She creates a different angle for our opponent that makes her hard to defend when she gets the ball at a high contact point."
 
Part of the reason the Roadrunners are able to use Lai on the outside is the development of freshman Mikayla McClinton, who had eight block assists against Tarleton State and five more against Southwest Minnesota State.
 
Joli Sadler had four of the Roadrunners' 10 service aces against the Texans and added two more against the Mustangs. Hladky also had 10 digs against Tarleton State to record her first career double-double.
 
The quick turnaround for the second match was tough to overcome. The Mustangs hit .344 in the first set compared to .000 for MSU Denver (though they also hit .471 in the fourth set).
 
"It's difficult," White said. "But that's what I love about volleyball. You go back to 0-0 the next set and it's anybody's game. We turned it around, but the first set took a toll on us."
 
So, it was a good day, but losing after holding for match points in the opener still stings.
 
"That part doesn't sit well, but we know this group is a work in progress and we took a big step forward today," Glenn said. "And we'll see what tomorrow brings."
 
Said Benda: "We showed that we're capable of playing with the best of the best. Today exposed some things we need to work on, and we knew it would coming in."