DENVER – The top-ranked MSU Denver volleyball team is taking nothing for granted in its attempt to complete a second straight undefeated run through regular season play in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
The Roadrunners travel for matches Friday at 7 p.m. at UCCS, and Saturday at 7 p.m. at CSU Pueblo.
 
"Both teams are fighting for tournament berths this weekend," MSU Denver coach Jenny Glenn said. "UCCS is fighting to keep its spot in the RMAC Tournament. CSU Pueblo is eighth in the region and fighting for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Both teams are going to come out motivated and attacking."
 
MSU Denver, riding a 17-match winning streak, is 23-1 overall and 16-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
The Roadrunners have won 38 straight regular-season RMAC matches dating to the 2020 season. Should they win twice this season, they would break the league record of 39 straight set by Nebraska-Kearney from 2003 through 2005.
 
"Nebraska-Kearney is a powerhouse in Division II volleyball and had a really good run, and to be even close to breaking that record is an honor," Glenn said. "It speaks to all the hard work our last few teams have put in over really long periods of time. But at the end of the day, that isn't what motivates us to go out and work so hard. What the cohort of this team has done is pretty incredible, and it speaks to their character and the hard work they've put in behind the scenes."
 
MSU Denver has already clinched the top seed for the three-day, eight-team RMAC Tournament and will host that event from Nov. 10 through 12. One win this weekend will gave the Roadrunners a second straight outright RMAC regular-season title.
 
The Roadrunners were also No. 1 in the NCAA's South Central Region rankings released Wednesday, giving them the inside track to hosting the eight-team regional tournament from Nov. 17 through 19.
 
It's still full steam ahead for MSU Denver, despite having already built a strong resume.
 
"We want to be attacking and aggressive in how we approach the end of the regular season," Glenn said. "We want to go out and play Roadrunner volleyball – that's when we're at our best. When we stay focused and aggressive, the rest takes care of itself."
 
MSU Denver, which earned its 400^th RMAC victory Saturday against Fort Lewis to improve to 400-94 in regular-season conference matches all-time since joining the league, has shown a deadly combination and offensive efficiency and defensive prowess this season.
 
The Roadrunners rank third in Division II in hitting percentage (.296), fourth in opponent hitting percentage (.107) and fourth in blocks per set (2.6).
 
But UCCS (12-12 overall, 7-9 and tied for seventh in the RMAC) and CSU Pueblo (18-6, 1105 and fifth) are challenging opponents.
 
Though swept in Denver on Sept. 16, UCCS put up 22 points in the second set and 23 in the third.
 
"UCCS hung with us the first time," Glenn said. "They're feisty and aggressive. They come at you. They're playing really well right now, too. They've altered their offense and they are improving every week."
 
CSU Pueblo, which fell to the Roadrunners four times last season – including in Pueblo when the Roadrunners had to fight off two match points in a five-set win – was also swept in Denver in September, but not without playing an extremely close first two sets.
 
"Pueblo is a solid team that is always pushing us to the limit and making us change what we do," Glenn said. "They are difficult to score on when they are playing well."