DENVER – It's a small step, but not an insignificant one either.
 
After two games, the MSU Denver men's soccer team is off to its best start since 2014.
 
"It was a positive first weekend," MSU Denver coach Nick Kirchhof said. "We played well and got guys good minutes. Right now, spirits are high. But as a coach, I'm still seeing things to improve upon, to tighten up, and where we can keep getting better."
 
The Roadrunners, who tied San Francisco State 2-2 before posting an impressive 4-0 win over Cal State Monterey Bay, figure to have even more time for introspection after home games at the Assembly Complex on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Lubbock Christian (Texas) and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. against NCAA Division II No. 7 Fort Hays State (Kan.), which reached the national quarterfinals last season.
 
Lubbock Christian is, like MSU Denver, 1-0-1 after the opening weekend. The Chaps rolled past Adams State, picked to finish last in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, before playing Fort Lewis to a 0-0 tie. Fort Lewis is picked sixth in the RMAC.
 
The Roadrunners posted a 3-2 win when the teams met last season in Texas, before Lubbock Christian eventually finished 10-6-2 and lost on penalty kicks in the Lone Star Conference Tournament championship. The Chaps are picked to finish fourth in the Lone Star this season.
 
"They're a good opponent," Kirchhof said. "It'll be a good test for us, and playing at home again will be great. Hopefully we can play a good, highly-intense match with them."
 
Fort Hays State reclaimed its No. 7 national ranking in the United Soccer Coaches' preseason poll. Even though the organization doesn't make any changes from the season-ending poll to the preseason poll, the Tigers are expected to have another high-caliber roster that will offer an extreme test.
 
The Tigers beat MSU Denver 1-0 in Kansas last season before going 15-6-2 and reaching the national quarterfinals. They are picked to win the seven-team Great American Conference/Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association this season. They opened the season with a 2-1 win over CSU-Pueblo before losing 2-0 at UCCS, teams that are picked to finish third and tied for seventh, respectively, in the RMAC.
 
"That's a team that's been in the NCAA Tournament year-in and year-out," Kirchhof said. "I think we're better than we were (last year). We have a better idea of what we're trying to do and who we want to be. So we're excited for that match, too.
 
"We're expecting a high-level opponent. The thing with them is that they've got that experience of playing in big games that we lack right now. That's why you want to schedule teams like that."
 
Like UCCS, MSU Denver is picked to finish in a seventh-place tie in the RMAC, but last weekend's results – particularly the 4-0 win over the Cal State Monterey Bay team that had just beaten No. 20 Colorado School of Mines, picked second in the RMAC – were encouraging.
 
Though this is Kirchhof's third season as head coach, the timing of his hiring – leading into the COVID season played in the spring of 2021 and another season that followed immediately in fall – has made this season one with more cohesion.
 
"We just have more time together," Kirchhof said. "The big ideas aren't really changing, it's how we approach all the small things, the day to day. We've added some pieces, but the majority of our team is guys who have played those minutes and went through that experience, so they're more familiar with what we're trying to do. So we're ahead there."
 
Among the statistical stars last weekend were Aaron Biggerstaff (two goals), Bryson Chiles and Jonas Votaw (one goal, one assist each) and Adan Perez (two assists). Perez specifically showcased the skills that have shone throughout preseason camp.
 
"Aidan (Bates) and Adan have played together for a while, Aaron and Adan have, some of the other guys, too," Kirchhof said. "And they just have a better feel for him, he feels more comfortable, and guys know where to move off of him to be ready. They trust that if Adan has the ball, he'll find them.
 
"And Adan has put in a lot more work. He's more fit than he was last year, and he has a better understanding of how his role affects the rest of the group. He's playing fantastic, and we want to keep him and the rest of the group moving forward."
 
Unsung heroes include center back Jackson Vander Ven, a transfer from Division I North Florida who provided a steadying influence while playing all 180 minutes for the weekend. The Roadrunners allowed a total of only eight shots on goal in the two games.
 
"Jackson is a great 1 v. 1 defender, but what I love most about him is his composure on the ball," Kirchhof said. "He calms everything down. Whereas last year things could get hectic in moments, he's just got that calming presence and confidence we want from a center back."
 
MSU Denver looks to keep improving this weekend, as newcomers and veterans continue to mesh.
 
"We got guys lots of minutes in meaningful games, and that's important as we keep trying to find out a little bit more about ourselves," Kirchhof said.