DENVER – Not at home? Not a problem.
MSU Denver scored two goals in the first 12 minutes and went on to a relatively easy 3-0 win Wednesday night at Regis in a non-conference matchup of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams.
It was the first road game of the season for the Roadrunners, who improved to 5-1-1.
"It's a good result," MSU Denver coach
Nick Kirchhof said. "Regis is a good team, so that's a good win. I wish it was the conference game (the teams play next week in a game that counts in the league standings) and I would have been even happier about this."
Aidan Bates had a goal and a career-best two assists, while
Adan Perez picked up two assists.
Aaron Biggerstaff and
Kazuki Peralta each scored goals.
The Roadrunners scored just 4:11 into the contest as Bates delivered a pass from the top of the box to Biggerstaff just outside the upper right corner of the box, and Biggerstaff scored from there to the lower left corner.
It was Biggerstaff's fourth goal of the season and – dating to the end of last year – he has points in nine of his last 13 games, with six goals and four assists in that time frame.
"We absolutely came out ready to attack, and we took advantage of a couple of mistakes," Kirchhof said. "I couldn't be happier with the finishing, and with the chances we created."
Peralta scored his first career goal at 11:46.
Goalkeeper
Ross Miller sent a long pass down the field that was eventually corralled by Perez near the Regis goal line. Perez passed to Bates, who tapped it to Peralta, and Peralta drove the ball off a defender's body and into the goal from about 10 yards out.
"Adan did really well pressing their center back and getting it to Aidan, and Kaz was very assertive – it was a great first strike and a well-taken chance," Kirchhof said.
Despite the three-goal margin, MSU Denver was outshot 16-10 and both teams put six shots on goal. Regis took eight corner kicks to just two for the Roadrunners.
"We always want to score the first goal, and then the next one, and that was good," Kirchhof said. "But after the second goal I thought we defended too much. But we were able to get to the half at 2-0."
MSU Denver made it 3-0 on a breakaway at 49:39, as
Bryson Chiles pushed it up the field and sent it to Perez, who then set up Bates for his fourth goal – tied with Biggerstaff for the team lead.
Meanwhile Miller turned in a couple of excellent saves in posting his fourth shutout of the year.
"In the first half they were definitely more on top of us," Kirchhof said. "I think we frustrated them a little bit in the second half and although they still had some good chances, we limited their good looks in the second half.
"I'm most proud of our defensive work. It wasn't always perfect, but the guys kept fighting and competing and kept us in it. If Regis scores one goal, the game turns. Our back four did really well against a variety of overloaded opportunities. Jackson (Vander Ven) specifically had really good game for us, just staying calm in the back line."
