GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Make no mistake, No. 6 MSU Denver is not a one-player team.
 
On two. Or six. Or … we could go pretty much all the way down the list.
 
Even though AVCA Division II National Player of the Week Avaline Lai was held in check on the right side, middle hitter Ember Canty stepped forward with a career-high 15 kills on .591 hitting, right-side Alexis Benda had 13 kills on career-best .571 hitting while adding four blocks, and the Roadrunners started out of the RMAC gate with a key 3-1 road win at No. 24 Colorado Mesa.
 
"They defended our pins really well and had a good game plan for them, and we got a lot more production out of our middles," Glenn said.

Besides Canty's career night, Mikayla McClinton was also strong in the middle, with seven kills on .333 hitting to go with a season-best six blocks.

MSU Denver returned to the scene of its only blemish during the spring season, where a four-set loss to Colorado Mesa doomed the Roadrunners to finish second during the regular season.
 
"It's definitely a tough environment," Glenn said. "But we were really good at being able – when we lost our composure – to regain it quickly and not give up too many runs. Then it became a battle of the end game – once we got to 20, who was able to come out of it and make plays?"
 
Ultimately, MSU Denver prevailed 25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 25-20 to improve to 7-2 with its fifth straight win and its fourth straight win over a ranked opponent.
 
Earning the first-set win at least established some early momentum for the Roadrunners.
 
"We were both playing a little tentatively in the first, so we were happy to be able to – as the road team – close out that first set," Glenn said.
 
Amela Qershia (26) and Jessa Megenhardt (24) once again divided assists nearly equally. Rylee Hladky had 11 kills and two service aces.
 
Ashlyn Cianciulli, the reigning Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, had 25 digs – 6.3 per set.
 
"Ashlyn did a nice job of giving stability to our defense," Glenn said. "She's playing a very veteran kind of volleyball right now. She's ahead of the play and really doing a nice job of keeping our side in sync. She's making all the routine plays, which is huge."
 
MSU Denver returns to home to face Fort Lewis in a 3 p.m. match Saturday at the Auraria Event Center.