Box Score DENVER – It looks like the kids are going to be all right.
 
Playing for the first time without departed five-year program legends Rylee Hladky, Ember Canty and Mikayla McClinton, and also playing without the services of returning two-time All-American Riley Anderson, the MSU Denver volleyball team played crosstown Division I foe Denver in a Wednesday night exhibition.
 
Not only did the Roadrunners take it to five sets against a solid mid-major program, including an epic 37-35 win in the opening frame, but they also got experience for all their players, including all four true freshmen.
 
Denver eventually emerged from the 2-hour, 38-minute match with a 35-37, 25-17, 28-26, 20-25, 15-13 victory.
 
"It was a great opportunity to play a really good opponent, a big blocking team that had lots of fast arms to test our defense," MSU Denver coach Jenny Glenn said. "We were able to play our whole roster – everyone got a true match feel to start off our season. It's great that DU was willing to play it and that we could get this kind of test early on and refine our training as we enter into competition."
 
Transfer outside hitter Annika Helf, a junior college All-American last season, made an immediate impact for the Roadrunners with 24 kills on .258 hitting, mixing power and shot-making that was part savage and part savvy.
 
"She's a great player who has played a lot, and has also played a lot of beach (volleyball)," Glenn said. "That's where you see a lot of those shots coming from, her ability to save a tight ball, use the block and find locations on the court that make it tough on the defense. She played a really smart match and was great from a six-rotation standpoint."
 
Sophomore Megan Hagar had 12 kills on .300 hitting and added four service aces in the first extended action of her career, and Maddy Williams – All-America honorable mention last season – added 10 kills and five block assists. Middle blocker Kryssa Moerman had seven kills and eight blocks (one solo). Amela Qershia set 30 assists.
 
"We're basically on day seven of training and you can tell we've been playing next to each other because we didn't miss a beat," Glenn said. "There weren't a lot of those errors and miscues that you typically get early in the season. I was proud of how we communicated."
 
MSU Denver hit .389 in the opening set. Each team had six set points before the Roadrunners closed it out on their seventh.
 
Glenn substituted more frequently in the second and third sets, getting everyone some playing time. True freshman middle blocker Alyssa Boyte impressed with five kills on .455 hitting, with no errors in 11 swings, and added four blocks.
 
"There was a point where we didn't have a single returning starter from last year on the floor," Glenn said. "Our young athletes stepped up to the plate and played without fear, played with love and recovered really quick. Our goal was to play present and together, and they did a really good job of that."
 
MSU Denver opens its regular season on Sept. 5 in a four-match opening weekend tournament at Western Washington.