GUNNISON, Colo. – No. 13 MSU Denver shared the wealth Saturday and improved to 5-0 for the first time since 2011.
After an earlier win over host Western Colorado, the Roadrunners posted a 3-0 sweep of Adams State (25-12, 25-12, 25-19) to continue the program's best start since opening 6-0 nine seasons ago.
"We got everybody in today and we did a really good job, even though we were changing our lineup around and doing different things, of handling everything really well," MSU Denver coach
Jenny Glenn said. "I'm impressed with the change from last week, when we didn't always take care of business on our side of the net.
"Our focus us is, no matter is what is happening on the other side, and we managed our side at a high level today. That's growth we wanted to see, and we took really good steps in that direction."
Rylee Hladky had nine kills on .389 hitting, with two service aces and 13 digs.
Avaline Lai had seven kills while hitting .462.
Kayla White had five kills and two blocks. And
Alexis Benda, in her first extended playing time of the season, had five kills and two blocks while hitting .375.
The Roadrunners – after their best hitting performance (.407) since 2013 in the opening match against Western Colorado – settled for a well-above average .307 outing against Adams State.
"We had a really good day from start to finish," Glenn said. "We played very composed volleyball and we were really efficient. We saw throughout the week that things were clicking more from an offensive standpoint, and that showed in our numbers. Our hitters made really good decisions, too."
Hladky, All-RMAC second team last year as a freshman, has led or shared the team lead in kills in all five matches this season after doing that only six times all last year.
"She's more experienced now," Glenn said. "She's learned a lot in the last year, how to handle different situations based on set locations and other factors. She understands at a higher level now, and she's making better decisions and getting better results because of it."
MSU Denver continues to dominate in serving and blocking, with nine service aces and six total blocks.
Among those contributing to those numbers were freshman
Delaney Eckhardt, who got not only her first service ace, but her first three service aces – all on the same second-set rotation.
Also making an impact was freshman
Haley White, who got her first two career kills and combined with
Kayla White – a whiteout, perhaps? – for her first career block assist.
Maddy Williams,
Trinity Weidinger and
Amela Qershia – all freshmen – got playing time and showed they are on track, too. Williams' first career kill (in Saturday's first match against Western Colorado) was a jaw-dropping power effort.
"I'm really proud of our freshmen," Glenn said. "They managed themselves really well. They got on the court and did their jobs, and that speaks to the unit as a whole. We're a united group."
The Roadrunners made quick work of two teams picked to finish near the bottom of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference this season.
But a challenge – make it a supreme challenge – is up next when top-ranked defending national runners-up Nebraska-Kearney comes to the Auraria Event Center for an 11 a.m. showdown on Saturday, Feb. 13.
"We're excited for the upcoming week," Glenn said. "We don't change what we're doing, and we keep the process moving forward and take our game to a higher level. A really good team is coming in next weekend, and we're looking forward to it."
