DENVER – Challenges are where you find them.
And, during a 3-0 sweep of Adams State on Friday night, No. 2 MSU Denver found one.
"We only hit .200 the first set, which is below our average, so I challenged the team with that," Roadrunners coach
Jenny Glenn said. "We hit over .500 (.542) in the second set, and we hit (.417) in the third set. So we made a really good turnaround from an offensive standpoint."
The Roadrunners won their 12
th straight match, improving to 18-1 overall and 11-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, and stretched their regular-season RMAC win streak to 33. They also swept an RMAC opponent for the ninth time this season.
"I was pleased with how we attacked the match and controlled each set," Glenn said. "Even the third set it was back and forth for a while, but we separated at the end."
While winning 25-15, 25-14, 25-14 – and while Colorado School of Mines swept Regis down the road in Golden, Colo. – MSU Denver took over sole possession of first place in the RMAC.
At 18-1 overall, the Roadrunners have matched the 1989 team for the best start to a season by the program since the 1978 team opened the year 36-0.
The Roadrunners finished at .372 for the night – the fourth time in the last five matches they've hit above .350 – while holding Adams State to .041 efficiency – the third-lowest by a Roadrunner opponent this season.
"Overall we played really well," middle blocker
Mikayla McClinton said. "We had a little bit of a slow start, but as we continued on in the match we just got a lot more aggressive and played more Roadrunner volleyball."
All-American
Rylee Hladky had 10 kills on .381 hitting, and
Kaylee Corsentino had seven kills while hitting .700.
"Our passers were giving our setters good opportunities and Amela (Qershia) was giving me great balls, and that allowed me to go bang," Corsentino said. "Our offense was very distributed tonight. We were able to get to each pin, and the middle, and it worked for us."
Ashlyn Cianciulli had team bests of three service aces and 12 digs and Qershia set 18 assists.
Meanwhile, McClinton had six blocks (one solo) while hitting .667, with four kills and no errors in six attacks.
"It's really good getting Mikayla going from an offensive standpoint – just finding her more," Glenn said. "She always hits a high percentage."
McClinton is hitting a team-best (minimum 35 attacks) .382 for the season.
"Our setters are definitely working on getting our middles more involved," McClinton said. "So it's a matter of communicating really well with our setters and giving each other a lot of feedback."
MSU Denver plays host to New Mexico Highlands on Saturday at 5 p.m.
