DENVER – If nothing else, MSU Denver coach Kat Mertz has options.
 
So many options.
 
"I'm really happy with the depth we have coming off our bench, and I've said from Day One that we're only going to be as good as our entire team is," Mertz said. "Our depth is what is going to make us go further in the RMAC Tournament."
 
Mertz and the Roadrunners are still in the building towards a potential return to the end-of-season Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament, of course, and they continue the journey with two more non-conference home games – Thursday at 7 p.m. against Hawaii Pacific and Sunday at noon against Eastern New Mexico.
 
No matter what the Roadrunners see, chances are they've got an idea of how to approach it.
 
"Every game presents a different problem," Mertz said. "Some teams might drop off and the game is more underneath – where you have to problem-solve, connect passes, combine, read pressure. Some teams will push high and there's more space behind and it becomes more of an athletic game.
 
"We've got players we can interchange, especially up top, and have a blend of players who can break pressure and get behind, and a blend of players who can get underneath and play-make."
 
While MSU Denver is off to a 1-0-2 start and will attempt to stay unbeaten through four games for the first time since 2013, Hawaii Pacific is 1-2 with a win over Tusculum (Tenn.) and losses of 4-0 to Hawaii-Hilo and 2-0 to RMAC contender Westminster.
 
"Typically teams from Hawaii you expect to be technical, crafty, quick, good speed, feisty and gritty," Mertz said.
 
Mertz likes what she's seen from her team most of those areas, too.
 
Elisa Dean still leads the team with two goals, while Katy Coats and Jaimy Sawaged each have one. Annie Rolf has a team-best two assists and has put eight of her nine shots on goal.
 
But the Roadrunners couldn't push one through last weekend in a 0-0 tie at St. Edward's (Texas).
 
"After watching the film, we were really happy with our overall play," Mertz said. "There was good urgency and intensity. We had good movement and pace. It was warm and we were able to use our depth, and it showed. And it was awesome to see players step up.
 
"I'm really disappointed we didn't get a goal, because I thought we had done a lot."
 
With steady center backs Jordan Lewis and Elli Zimmer in front of her, true freshman goalkeeper Kayla Caballero has moved into a starring role, with two shutouts in three games while posting a .917 save percentage and an 0.29 goals-against average.
 
Caballero was named the RMAC's Goalkeeper of the Week on Tuesday, and she's one of four talented goalies that Mertz said are continuing to develop.
 
"Kayla came up huge in the first two minutes against St. Edward's," Mertz said. "They got a ball in behind, got on the backside shoulder of our outside back, and she had to come up with a breakaway save – and it was huge. That was her one moment where she had to come up with a save, and she did."
 
Eastern New Mexico is 2-2 heading into the Sunday game, its only one of the week, with all previous matchups against RMAC schools. Facing a fresh foe, the focus on fielding fabulous depth is a formidable factor.
 
"We've had great intensity and focus at practice," Mertz said. "We're excited to be back at home."