DENVER – The MSU Denver women's soccer team has three games left to show that it can, indeed, go home again.
 
The Roadrunners play Thursday at Western Colorado, Sunday at Fort Lewis, and then Wednesday, Oct. 26, at Black Hills State.
 
That's a little over 1,500 miles on the bus over the next eight days. For good measure, Gunnison, Colo., is 7,700 feet above sea level and Durango, Colo., is at 6,500.
 
"This is a really hard road trip," MSU Denver coach Kat Mertz said. "We'll play at the highest-altitude stadium in the nation (Western Colorado). Then we go to South Dakota. And every one of these teams is fighting for an entry into the RMAC Tournament."
 
MSU Denver is fighting to get back home for a potential first-round game in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament. The Roadrunners haven't played a league tournament on their own field since 2012.
 
At 9-2-4 overall and 5-1-3 in the RMAC, the Roadrunners enter the final week of the season in fifth place with 18 standings points – the top four teams earn first-round home games.
 
MSU Denver has won four straight games – all by shutout – and will be playing teams below them in the standings. On Thursday at 3 p.m., the Roadrunners will face Western Colorado (5-9-1, 3-6). Sunday at 1:30 is Fort Lewis (4-10-1, 3-6). Next Wednesday at 11 a.m. is Black Hills State (1-10-2, 1-8).
 
But even if the Roadrunners win all three, they could need some help to break into the top four.
 
Fourth-place Westminster has 19 standings points, but figures to be challenged only Oct. 26 at Colorado Mesa. Third-place UCCS has 20 standings points, and faces its biggest challenge Thursday against first-place Regis.
 
MSU Denver tied both Westminster and UCCS during the regular season.