DENVER – Jaimy Sawaged scored both goals Sunday for a suddenly smoking MSU Denver offensive attack, as the Roadrunners topped CSU Pueblo 2-0 at the Assembly Athletic Complex.
 
After scoring a total of six goals in the first seven games of the season, the Roadrunners now have nine goals in their last five.
 
"We're finally figuring out what each forward wants, either a ball through or a ball to our feet," Sawaged said. "And we're also just hungry. Every forward wants a goal, wants an assist. It's building up. And I always tell all of them, 'Be selfish. Take the shot.' I know more goals will be coming and our forwards will be smashing bangers."
 
Sawaged, one of the Roadrunners' tri-captains, now has a team-high five goals.
 
Already difficult to score upon, MSU Denver is beginning to flex its offensive muscle.
 
"We've put a lot of emphasis on it in practice – breaking it down to just simple and basic," MSU Denver coach Kat Mertz said. "Where are we scoring the goals? The first part of the season we were taking shots from outside the 18. We needed to get into the goal zone … one more pass. What does that look like?"
 
What it looked like Sunday was Sawaged on the business end of two well-played balls, the first from Paloma Teran at 14:10, and the second from Katy Coats at 46:25.
 
"Paloma had a perfect ball and I thought, this is where I break and go," Sawaged said. "I extended my foot really wide and it tapped in. And Coats had a beautiful ball that deflected off the keeper and I was there."
 
Especially lovely was the second goal, because it was the result of a five-pass sequence that started with goalkeeper Kayla Caballero.
 
"It takes an entire team," Mertz said. "The second goal was just awesome. We were building out of the back, we found the midfield, the midfield got it out wide, we got in-line, a good inside-out run by Coats … just collectively … we win as a team, and we lose as a team, and it was awesome to see that come together and come to fruition."
 
The win extended MSU Denver's home unbeaten streak to 18 games, including 4-0-4 this season. The Roadrunners improved to 6-2-4 for the season, and at 2-1-3 they are now tied for fourth in the RMAC with nine points.
 
Sawaged had a couple of opportunities to put together the program's first hat trick since Karisa Price in 2014, but settled instead for her first career multi-goal game while upping her career total to 10.
 
"I feel like I had a lot of chances – especially after the first one in the first half," Sawaged said. "I hit the post, and another hit the defender on a corner kick. I felt like there was another one coming, but it's OK. I'm good with two."
 
With the MSU Denver defense squelching nearly every CSU Pueblo opportunity, a third goal by Sawaged wasn't really needed.
 
"Our starting backline, along with our subs that come on, we are super strong and super confident," defender Emily Sirois said. "Anything that comes towards us we are usually able to handle efficiently and handle well."
 
Sirois, a transfer from Division I Green Bay who has shifted between center back and left back while among the team's leaders in minutes played, helped limit the ThunderWolves (3-9, 2-4) to just two shots, with one on goal.
 
MSU Denver had 21 shots and put 10 on frame.
 
Playing alongside returning starters Emily Zimmer, Kate Giordano and Katy Harris – and recently Maddy Rueter and Dani Nelson – Sirois has filled in seamlessly for long-time fixture Jordan Lewis. After allowing 12 goals in 18 games last year, the Roadrunners have given up only nine in 12 games this year.
 
"She's been great," Mertz said. "It's been awesome for her to transfer in and just really hit the ground running. She's more naturally a left back, and we've moved her in to the center. We moved her back out wide and she's been able to do well with her role and just kind of sit in sync with the rest of the back line. She's really been able to play well with the other three backs."