DENVER – A tough matchup with CSU-Pueblo and a slow start didn't stay No. 1 MSU Denver from the swift completion of its appointed rounds.
The Roadrunners delivered the program's first outright regular-season Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular-season championship since 2016 and fifth in program history by sending in a 3-1 victory Thursday night.
"We're taking it one match at a time, but it's a great accomplishment to win the regular season," MSU Denver coach
Jenny Glenn said. "We haven't done it since 2016, and that was a pretty special group that came through. It's a big accomplishment in a conference that is very competitive – the top of the conference is extremely difficult."
That top of the conference includes fifth-place CSU-Pueblo, which pushed the Roadrunners to five sets in a September match in which it twice held match points.
But after dropping the first set 25-19, MSU Denver rallied to win the next three 25-18, 25-18, 25-17. MSU Denver hit .310 in the last two sets, including .355 in the final frame.
"Hearing it announced that we won the conference is so exciting," outside hitter
Rylee Hladky said. "It's another box checked."
Want some check marks? Try these:
- MSU Denver has won 21 straight matches to improve to 23-2 for the season.
- The Roadrunners are 17-0 in the RMAC. A win Friday at home against UCCS would give MSU Denver its second 18-0 mark in regular-season league play (matching the 2016 team).
- MSU Denver now has 21 straight RMAC regular-season wins dating back to the spring season.
- The Roadrunners have posted 18 straight home wins, going undefeated at the Auraria Event Center since the championship match of the 2019 RMAC Tournament, to break the previous school record of 17 straight home wins set by the 2003 team.
On Thursday, Hladky had 15 kills and 15 digs and
Avaline Lai added 13 kills.
Amela Qershia set 28 assists and added 15 digs and two service aces and
Mikayla McClinton had four blocks.
But in this match, MSU Denver's human bruise of a libero,
Ashlyn Cianciulli, stood out like a sore thumb -- and sore elbow and sore knee for that matter -- with 24 digs.
"She was awesome tonight – all over the place," Glenn said. "Not just the hard-driven (attacks), but she was picking up off-speed and setter dumps. She was where she needed to be when we needed her to be there."
CSU-Pueblo (18-7, 17-5) kept balls in play and forced the Roadrunners to pull up 87 digs, their highest total since … getting 101 in the first meeting with the ThunderWolves.
"We're both very feisty teams, and I think it was a good matchup of just playing all out," Cianciulli said. "For us, it was showing that we can win the long rallies, showing that we're going to put all our heart into every single play."
And as for her style?
"It's kind of really fun, having them think they're going to get a kill and being right there," Cianciulli said. "I'm going to need some ice tonight."
