DENVER – The abbreviated men's soccer regular season has moved past the halfway point.
 
Now, for the first time, MSU Denver will face an opponent for the second time.
 
The Roadrunners play at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at South Dakota Mines, a team they beat 1-0 in Denver on March 21.
 
"I'm sure both teams have changed things slightly," MSU Denver coach Nick Kirchhof said. "There were positive and negatives for both teams. It's always tough to play another team after you've played them once. There's more familiarity, so it's figuring out who can execute in those key moments."
 
That win has been the Roadrunners' lone victory thus far in a 1-3 start, however Kirchhof's young team played competitively in 2-1 losses to Regis and Westminster last weekend.
 
"It was our first double (game) weekend, and it shows how important preparation and recovery is," Kirchhof said. "We gave it a good go. We fought. But I do think we tired out a bit, and against a team that was fresh – that was their only game. But the good part is that we were there in both games against teams that have traditionally done well."
 
In the first meeting with South Dakota Mines, freshman Aaron Biggerstaff had MSU Denver's lone goal.
 
"Both teams had chances that day, and we were just fortunate to be able to put one in the back of the net," Kirchhof said. "Early in the season, I think a lot of the attacking movement has been slower for a lot of the teams in the RMAC. Now I think things are progressing. We're scoring more goals, and hopefully we can continue that."
 
Parker Landry earned RMAC Defensive Player of the Week after the first meeting with the Hardrockers, and he is one of several freshmen the Roadrunners are relying upon in the back.
 
"It's an adjustment, and it's a little bit of trial by fire right now," Kirchhof said. "With our squad size, we're not able to play 11 v. 11 currently in training, so some stuff we're having to figure out during games. But it's positive. These guys are getting good minutes against opponents they're going to see. It's good experience for freshmen to play this many minutes. Now, going into the fall season, maybe they won't be as nervous and as tentative after going through it."