by David Merril - The Metropolitan

Metro outside hitter Jessy Roy collects one of her 11 kills as the ‘Runners defeat Western State 3-0 Friday, Oct. 10 at the Auraria Events Center. Roy leads the team with 4.44 kills per game.

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is nearing its final three weeks of games, and the Roadrunners are looking forward to playing teams like Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney at home, says Debbie Hendricks, head coach.

The RMAC is divided into three parts: All the teams in the Eastern Division play against each other, the Eastern Division plays the Western Division, and then the Eastern Division teams play each other again. Hendricks says Metro’s division, the Eastern, is the stronger of the two.

“We still have a lot of volleyball left and a lot of improvement to see,” says Hendricks, trying not to get the team ahead of themselves.

The teams in the Eastern Division alternate home and away games. Hendricks feels the team will have more of an advantage playing top teams like Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney on Metro turf.

“It’s payback time,” says freshman outside hitter Stefanie Allison about playing Nebraska-Kearney at home Nov. 7. “We’re not intimidated.” Allison, like most of the players, is confident about the team’s defense play and ball control.

Aside from a home-game advantage, everyone on the team has her own role, which hold the team together; there is no single best player or leader.

“We really don’t have any stand-alone players…it’s nice from that standpoint that we really need everyone on this team,” Hendricks said.

“They have to play their role and they have to be “on” in that role for us to really be clicking on all cylinders.”

The Roadrunners versus the Western State Mountaineers, last Friday, was the ninth game of the RMAC. Hendricks says the team is steadier and more cohesive than in their first game of the conference, however, the team had “at least as much confidence” then as they do now.
“We’ve had several weeks to work through the highs and lows,” Hendricks said. “This is more of an earned confidence.”

The Roadrunners won both games last weekend. The scores are as follows: Metro versus Western State, 3-0; and Metro versus Mesa State Mavericks, 3-0. The Roadrunners have won the last six games in a row.

Metro’s next two games come against the Adams State Grizzlies (12-6, 6-4 RMAC) at 7 p.m., Oct. 16., and against the Fort Lewis Skylarks (7-11, 2-8, RMAC) at 7 p.m., Oct. 17. Both games are at the Auraria Events Center.