DENVER – The MSU Denver women's soccer team was able to boldly go where no one has gone before.
 
To the outer regions of the universe? To the moon? Deep inside the surface of the planet?
 
No, no and no.
 
The Roadrunners made scoreboard operator Carmen Reale input the number 2 under their goals total.
 
"It feels so good," midfielder Riley Ostler said. "I know we can do it. It's just a matter of getting that final pass down and putting it in the back of the net."
 
Ostler assisted on Luna Garcia's goal at 71:38, giving MSU Denver some breathing room in a 2-0 victory over Colorado Christian on Sunday at the Assembly Athletic Complex.
 
It was the first time in eight games this season that the Roadrunners have scored more than one goal, and the first time in 13 games dating to the end of last year.
 
"We don't really like being up by one goal," Garcia said. "It's really nerve-wracking, trying to keep them from scoring and tying it up. It's always great to have more than one goal."
 
Said coach Kat Mertz: "The players worked really, really hard to create those opportunities. We were knocking at the door. Their goalkeeper made some really good saves.
 
"Our decision-making still needs to be a little bit sharper, but if you're creating that many chances, with nine on frame – that's great. That's all you can ask for."
 
Despite the relative paucity of goals over the program's last 13 games, the Roadrunners are still 5-1-2 this season – including 1-0-1 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play – and are 8-3-2 dating to their last game with more than one score.
 
They are also 3-0-2 at home this season and 12-0-3 at the Assembly Athletic Complex since the start of the 2021 season.
 
"We pride ourselves on being undefeated at home," Ostler said.
 
On the second goal, Ostler's shot from the just inside the box was deflected by the goalkeeper all the way out to Garcia outside of the box.
 
"I thought, 'I have to get to the box, I am getting this ball,' and I was calling for it," Ostler said. "Someone was in front of me and I yelled, 'Leave it, leave it,' and I just ran through it. I don't really know what happened after that, but it popped back out and Luna had an amazing shot."
 
The ball was still bouncing high when it got to Garcia, who managed to figure out how to get enough on it for her second goal of the season.
 
"I just know that I was exhausted, so I was kind of hanging out outside the box and waiting to see what was going to happen," Garcia said. "And then I saw it pop out and I thought, 'Just beat the defender to it.' I just touched it and shot it, and it went in.
 
"I don't think I got very good contact on it, but it still went in, and that was good. It wasn't a very good touch, but I decided to just kick it.
 
"Actually I'm terrible at shooting – I hate shooting. But Kat has me sit on top of the box, just to get anything that comes out and kind of put it back in."
 
Said Mertz: "Luna has been playing really well. She's been having fun. For her to be in the right spot when the ball popped out was fantastic. I'm proud of her and proud of her effort."
 
The actual game-winning goal came just 4:11 into the contest, as Jaimy Sawaged found room just outside the box and struck a long shot into the goal. It was her team-high third goal of the season.
 
"That got us going and set the tone for the game," said Ostler, who, like Sawaged, is one of the team's tri-captains. "Jaimy is the best. She can score goals."
 
MSU Denver had advantages of 19-4 in shots and 9-1 in shots on goal.
 
Keep it up and the Roadrunners may soon get three goals in a game.
 
"Let's start with two," Mertz said, laughing. "I'll take that."