FIRST SERVE
Every time the Portland State volleyball team returns home, something good happens. The Vikings won five of six at their two home tournaments after starting out on the road, then swept Southern Utah and Northern Arizona, Oct. 7-9, after playing their first four Big Sky matches on the road. Last Saturday may have been the sweetest return home yet, as the Vikings – after three straight road matches over a five-day span – beat Northern Colorado, 3-1, to claim sole possession of second place in the Big Sky Conference.The return home against the Bears was particularly sweet because it opened up a run of six matches at home out of the Vikings' last seven matches of the season. That run continues this weekend, when the Vikings will seek to continue that good feeling while hosting Idaho State and Weber State this Thursday and Saturday, respectively, at Viking Pavilion.
Both defenses should test the Vikings' sweet feeling, especially Weber State's as the Wildcats enter the match having won 10 matches in a row. That streak includes seven straight sweeps and 22 straight set victories for the Wildcats heading into their match at Sacramento State Thursday night. Additionally, at 10-0, the Wildcats enter the weekend two matches clear of the Vikings, who are now 8-2 after beating the Bears last Saturday.
It'll be a test for the Vikings to continue their sweet feeling at home, then, but the Vikings have passed these tests before. The Vikings had beaten Northern Arizona just twice in their past 16 meetings with the Lumberjacks before coming back from a first-set loss to win, 3-1, at home on Oct. 9. The Vikings then hadn't swept the Montana schools in Montana since 2013, but did that while beating Montana, 3-2, on Oct. 14 and Montana State, 3-1, on Oct. 16. Last Saturday marked the Vikings' first win over Northern Colorado since 2017, and only the team's second win over the Bears since 2013.
Seasonal-best performances at the service line and at the net helped spur the Vikings to their win over the Bears. The Vikings recorded 13 aces, two more than they've had in any other match this season. Ellie Snook led the way with a career-high five aces, while Zoe McBride added three of her own. At the net, the Vikings out-blocked the Bears, 12-to-6, with Genevieve Florig, McBride and Ashleigh Barto all contributing four blocks or more.
The serving and blocking helped the Vikings hold a potent Bear offense to only .169 hitting, just the third time the Bears have been held to under .200 hitting so far in Big Sky play.
Those aspects of the Vikings' game also let them distribute the ball well offensively. Four different Vikings finished with at least seven against the Bears, with Makayla Lewis leading the way with 13 kills to go with 11 digs in the match. McBride led the Vikings with 16 points between 10 kills, three aces and four blocks (two solo).
A balanced attack will help the Vikings overcome a pair of tough defenses in the Bengals and Wildcats this weekend.
Defense has been a highlight for the Bengals, as they stand fourth in the conference with an opponent hitting percentage of .196 this season. The Bengals also rank fifth in the Big Sky with 13.99 digs per set, while libero Asiah Sopoaga ranks seventh in the conference with 3.62 digs per set.
Offense has been more of a struggle for the Bengals, as they rank ninth in the Big Sky in hitting percentage (.161), as well as 10th in both kills per set (10.9) and assists per set (9.87). That's contributed to a tough run for the Bengals over the past few weeks, as they take a seven-match losing streak into Thursday's match.
Balance between offense and defense hasn't been an issue for the Wildcats, who come into the weekend leading the Big Sky in both hitting percentage (.226) and opponent hitting percentage (.176).
The Wildcats also lead the conference by a wide margin with 2.22 aces per set, as they have 34 more aces than any other team in the Big Sky. The Wildcats' 2.22 aces per set rank them third in the NCAA this season, while two-time All-Big Sky first-team selection Dani Nay ranks second nationally with 0.71 aces per set individually.
Nay also stands as part of a killer 1-2 punch for the Wildcats on the outside. Rylin Adams leads the Big Sky with 3.84 kills per set, while Nay ranks second behind her with 3.52 k/s. Adams' 3.84 k/s also rank her 72nd in the nation.
Adams, Nay and Sam Schiess all finished in double figures in the Wildcats' previous match against the Vikings, which the Wildcats won in four sets on Sept. 23. The Vikings turned around and won their match at Idaho State two days later, erasing a first-set loss to win in four sets. The Bengals hit .302 in the opening set against the Vikings, but the Vikings responded by holding them to .038 and .029 hitting in the second and third sets, respectively.
The schedule is flipped this weekend, with the Vikings facing the Bengals first on Thursday, before the Wildcats come to Viking Pavilion Saturday. The Vikings will then need to beat Idaho State Thursday to ensure that Saturday's match would be a meeting of the top two teams in the Big Sky standings.
And with it being at home, that should give the Vikings confidence. Good things happen at Viking Pavilion, after all.
MATCH #1: PORTLAND STATE (14-7, 8-2) vs. IDAHO STATE (6-16, 2-8)
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEODETAILS: Thursday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m. PT, Portland, Ore. (Viking Pavilion)
SCOUTING IDAHO STATE: The Idaho State Bengals won two of their first three Big Sky matches – with the lone loss coming to the Vikings, 3-1, on Sept. 25 – but have lost seven in a row since then. The Bengals nearly snapped the streak against Eastern Washington last Thursday, but fell in five sets to the Eagles. Idaho State's two Big Sky wins came over Sacramento State in five sets on Sept. 23, and then over Montana in four sets a week later on Sept. 30. The Bengals erased an 0-2 deficit to reverse sweep the Hornets, the first time they had done that against a conference opponent since 2017. That momentum carried into the first set against the Vikings on Sept. 25, as they won the opener, 25-19. The Vikings rebounded to win the next three in a row, however, as the Bengals became the fourth of five opponents this season that the Vikings have come back to beat after losing their opening set. The Bengals hit .302 in the opening set against the Vikings, but the Vikings responded by holding them to .038 and .029 hitting in the second and third sets, respectively. Overall this season, the Bengals rank highly defensively, as they stand fourth in the conference with an opponent hitting percentage of .196. The Bengals also rank fifth in the Big Sky with 13.99 digs per set, while libero Asiah Sopoaga ranks seventh in the conference with 3.62 digs per set. Offense has been more of a struggle for the Bengals, however. The team ranks ninth in the Big Sky in hitting percentage (.161), as well as 10th in both kills per set (10.9) and assists per set (9.87). Jamie Streit leads the Bengals with 2.72 kills per set, though she's only played in five of the Bengals' 10 Big Sky matches this season. Besides her, Sadie Bluth is the only other Bengal to average more than two kills per set, as she ranks second on the team with 2.69 kills per set. Rachael Driskell leads the Bengals with 0.33 aces per set, an average that ranks her tied with the Vikings' Zoe McBride for 10th in the Big Sky.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Bengals, 37-26. The Vikings have won the last three in the series, though the Bengals won the previous four. The Vikings beat the Bengals 3-1 on Sept. 25 earlier this season.
MATCH #2: PORTLAND STATE (14-7, 8-2) vs. WEBER STATE (15-5, 10-0)
LIVE STATSDETAILS: Saturday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. PT, Portland, Ore. (Viking Pavilion)
SCOUTING WEBER STATE: The Weber State Wildcats beat the Vikings 3-1 in both team's conference opener on Sept. 23, and have just rolled from there. The Wildcats have won 10 matches in a row to open Big Sky play, with the last seven all being 3-0 sweeps. Weber State hasn't dropped a set since going to five sets at Montana State on Sept. 30, meaning they will take a 22-set winning streak into their match against Sacramento State Thursday. All areas of the court have been clicking for the Wildcats during their win streak. The Wildcats have hit .226 as a team this season while holding opponents to .176 hitting, both of which lead the Big Sky in their respective categories. The Wildcats also lead the conference by a wide margin with 2.22 aces per set, as they have 34 more aces than any other team in the Big Sky. The Wildcats' 2.22 aces per set also rank them third in the NCAA this season, while two-time All-Big Sky first-team selection Dani Nay ranks second nationally with 0.71 aces per set. Nay has also given the Wildcats' a formidable 1-2 punch on the outside alongside teammate Rylin Adams. The pair rank first and second in the Big Sky for kills per set, with Adams leading at 3.84 k/s while Nay ranks second at 3.52 k/s. Adams, Nay and Sam Schiess all finished in double figures in the Wildcats' previous match against the Vikings, with Nay leading the way with 13 kills. For the season, Adams and Nay are the only two Wildcats over three kills per set, as Emma Magnum is a distant third on the team with 2.11 kills per set. Schiess ranks fourth on the Wildcats' team with 1.94 kills per set. Setter Ashlyn Power ranks third in the Big Sky with 9.12 assists per set, and also ranks third in the conference with 0.42 aces per set. Defensively, Baylee Bodily leads the Wildcats while ranking 10th in the Big Sky with 0.98 blocks per set. Libero Makayla Sorensen ranks third in the conference with 4.01 digs per set,
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Wildcats, 38-20. The Wildcats have owned the series of late, however, as they've won the last six meetings, including a 3-1 win over the Vikings on Sept. 23 earlier this season. The Vikings' last win in the series was a 3-0 win on Sept. 23, 2017, when the Vikings were playing their home matches at Concordia University in NE Portland during the construction of Viking Pavilion.
STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS
- The Vikings started 7-1 in Big Sky play this season, their best start to conference play since they won 14 of their first 15 Big Sky matches in 2012. The team won seven matches in a row after dropping their opener to Weber State, giving the program its longest winning streak since it won 10 matches in a row in 2013.
- Seven of the Vikings' first nine Big Sky matches came on the road, and the Vikings went 5-2 in those seven conference road matches. The 5-2 record included the Vikings' first road sweep of the Montana schools since 2013, as well as the team's first Big Sky road sweep of any kind since 2017, when they beat Idaho and Eastern Washington in back-to-back matches on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, respectively.
- The Vikings have won their last six matches at home, including all three of their Big Sky matches. The Vikings haven't lost at home since falling in four sets to UTEP on Sept. 11.
- The Vikings have shown the ability to come back this season, as they have five wins this season in which they came back after dropping the opening set. Two of those five wins have come in Big Sky play, as the Vikings came back to beat Northern Arizona on Oct. 9 and Idaho State on Sept. 25 after losing the opening set.
- The Vikings recorded a season-high 13 aces in last Saturday's win over Northern Colorado, which vaulted them up to third in the Big Sky and 57th nationally with 1.64 aces per set. Ellie Snook led the Vikings with a career-high five aces against the Bears, and now ranks fifth in the conference with 0.38 aces per set. Zoe McBride, meanwhile, had three aces against the Bears and now ranks tied for 10th with 0.33 aces per set.
- The Vikings have recorded 10 or more blocks in three of their past four matches, including a 12-to-6 advantage in their win over Northern Colorado last Saturday. Ashleigh Barto and Genevieve Florig both average around a block a set in Big Sky play, with Barto seventh in the conference with 1.03 blocks per set in conference matches, while Florig ranks eighth with 0.97 per set.
- After hitting .200 or better in six of the seven matches in their recent win streak, the Vikings have now failed to top .200 in their past two matches. It didn't matter against Northern Colorado, however, as they still outhit the Bears .182-to-.169 in a 3-1 win.
- The Vikings held the Bears to .169 hitting last Saturday, one of only three times this season Northern Colorado has failed to hit .200 against a Big Sky opponent. The strong defense broke a string of three straight matches in which the Vikings' opponent hit north of .220. Overall, the Vikings rank third in the Big Sky with an opponent hitting percentage of .191, while the defense also ranks first in digs per set (16.7) and fifth in blocks per set (2.04).
- Ellie Snook leads the Big Sky and ranks eighth in the NCAA with 5.41 digs per set this season. Snook leads the No. 2-ranked player in the conference by more than a full dig per set, and isn't far off the single-season record she set as a freshman, when she averaged 5.47 digs per set.
- Makayla Lewis ranks seventh in the Big Sky with 3.18 kills per set, and has led the Vikings in kills in seven of the team's 10 Big Sky matches. Lewis ranks fourth in the conference with 3.46 kills per set against conference opponents.
- Parker Webb is the only player in the Big Sky Conference to rank in the top 10 for both kills per set and hitting percentage. Webb ranks tied for fifth in kills per set (3.23) and ninth in hitting percentage (.284).
- Ally Wada ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 8.29 assists per set, though the Vikings went back to the 6-2 formation in their match against Northern Colorado last Saturday. Teniyah Leuluai started and led the team with 18 assists as the team's other setter, though Wada still finished with her 10th double-double of the season with 17 assists and 11 digs.
- Gabby Hollins didn't play against Northern Colorado but had 28 kills combined in the Vikings' two matches before that. Hollins tied Makayla Lewis for a match high with 18 kills against Montana State on Oct. 16, then followed with a team-high 10 kills against Sacramento State on Oct. 19.
- The Vikings have more upperclassmen (10) than underclassmen (6) for the first time since 2018. It's a far cry from the team's numbers two years ago, when they had seven freshmen and nine underclassmen on their 12-player roster. The team has three fifth-year players in Genevieve Florig, Maddy Reeb and Parker Webb.
- The Vikings added six newcomers over the offseason between three true freshmen – Morgan Halady, Teniyah Leuluai and Lily Snook – and three transfers – Genevieve Florig, Makayla Lewis and Sydney Rabe. Of the transfers, Florig came in as a grad transfer from UCONN, Lewis played two years at San Jose State, while Rabe was at UW Green Bay last year but didn't play and remains a redshirt freshman. Florig joins Zoe McBride, who transferred to the Vikings before last season, as players from the Portland area who started their careers at other Division I schools before transferring back to the region.
- Lily Snook joined her sister Ellie on the Vikings' team this season. Their father, Jamie Snook, also played men's basketball at Portland State from 1996-99. Additionally, their cousin, Jake Porter, plays for the Vikings' football team, and Jake's dad played baseball at Portland State in the 1990s.
- Maddy Reeb would have exhausted her eligibility last year, but decided to come back for a fifth year after the NCAA granted all volleyball players an extra year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reeb split time between being a setter and an outside hitter during her first four years at Portland State, but will play exclusively on the outside this season. Reeb's versatility saw her become the first Viking since 2010 to record a triple-double last year, which she did twice during the season.
COMEBACK VIKS
Saturday's 3-1 win over Northern Colorado aside, comebacks have seemingly been part of every big win for the Vikings this season. The team faced a 2-1 deficit on the road on Oct. 14 against Montana – a place they hadn't won since 2016 – only to come back and win in five sets. The Vikings then saved five set points in the first set of their 3-1 win over Montana State on Oct. 16, eventually winning 34-32 in the longest set the Vikings have played since 2015. That Vikings also came back to beat Northern Arizona – a team they had only beaten twice in their previous 16 meetings – after dropping the opening set of their match on Oct. 9. It was a dramatic turnaround against the Lumberjacks, as the Vikings hit .000 with 11 attack errors in the first set, but then hit .500 with 17 kills while winning the second set, 25-20. The Vikings then erased an early 12-6 deficit in the third set, scoring 11 of the final 14 points to take a crucial 2-1 lead in the match. The win marked the fifth time this season the Vikings have come back after dropping the opening set, including the second time in Big Sky play, as the Vikings also came back after losing the first set to Idaho State on Sept. 25. During non-conference play, the Vikings erased first-set losses to beat Santa Clara on Aug. 28, Grand Canyon on Sept. 10 and North Dakota State on Sept. 18. The Vikings reverse swept North Dakota State, as they erased an 0-2 deficit for the first time since Sept. 8, 2016. The comeback gene is a fitting part of the Vikings' DNA this season after head coach Michael Seemann introduced competition as early and as often as possible during the Vikings' fall camp in August.DEPTH AT THE PINS
Makayla Lewis has led or tied for the team lead in kills in seven of the Vikings' 10 Big Sky matches so far, but even with Lewis' production, there has been an impressive display of depth for the Vikings. Five different players have either led or tied for the lead in kills during Big Sky play, and none of those are Parker Webb, who leads the Vikings with 3.23 kills per set this season. The Vikings had four different players record at least seven kills in last Saturday's 3-1 win over Northern Colorado. The team also had four players finish with at least 10 kills in its five-set win at Montana on Oct. 14. Gabby Hollins didn't play in either match, but had 28 kills across the two matches in between those two as she led or tied for the team lead for kills against Montana State on Oct. 16 and Sacramento State on Oct. 19. Hollins set a new season high with 18 kills against the Bobcats, tying her with Lewis for a match high. Overall this season, Lewis and Webb both rank in the top 10 for kills per set. Webb remains the only player to rank in the conference's top 10 for both kills per set (5th, 3.30) and hitting percentage (8th, .291). Lewis, meanwhile, ranks eighth in kills with 3.18 per set, though she's fourth in the conference with 3.46 kills per set in conference matches. Besides those two, McBride led the Vikings with 16 points against Northern Colorado between 10 kills, three aces and four blocks (two solo). McBride was at her efficient best in the Vikings' match against Idaho, where she had 11 kills on 19 swings to hit .579 while also adding 12 digs. Maddy Reeb was similarly efficient against Idaho, recording 10 kills on .529 hitting. Reeb followed with 10 kills on .471 hitting a week later against Southern Utah. Overall, the Vikings rank second in the Big Sky in both kills per set (12.9) and assists per set (11.9) this season.TOUGH AT THE NET, UNBEATABLE IN THE BACK
The Vikings out-blocked Northern Colorado 12-to-6 in last Saturday's win over the Bears, continuing a trend of tough play at the net for the Vikings. The team has now recorded at least 10 blocks in three of their past four matches. The Vikings also had 12 blocks in their five-set win over Montana on Oct. 14, and followed that with 10 blocks in their four-set win over Montana State on Oct. 16. Ashleigh Barto and Genevieve Florig have both averaged over a block per set during the team's last four matches. Barto has 19 blocks for an average of 1.19 blocks per set since the start of the Montana match. Florig, meanwhile, has 17 blocks for an average of 1.06 blocks per set. The Vikings' play defensively has gone beyond their recent run, of course, as they lead the Big Sky in digs per set (16.7), while ranking third in opponent hitting percentage (.191) and fifth in blocks per set (2.04). Ellie Snook – last year's Big Sky Libero of the Year – makes the defensive motor run for the Vikings, as she leads the Big Sky while ranking eighth nationally with 5.41 digs per set. Snook's average gives her more than a full dig-per-set lead over the No. 2-ranked played in the conference, Montana's Sarina Moreno at 4.16. Three other regular starters average well over two digs per set besides Snook as Zoe McBride, Makayla Lewis and Ally Wada average 2.56, 2.53 and 2.41 d/s, respectively.ACE IN THE HOLE
The Vikings recorded 13 aces against Northern Colorado last Saturday – two more than they've had in any other match this season. That accuracy from the service line catapulted the Vikings up to third in the Big Sky with 1.64 aces per set, an average that also ranks them 57th in the nation. Ellie Snook led the effort against the Bears while setting a new career high with five aces. Snook now ranks fifth in the Big Sky with 0.38 aces per set this season, a mark that would go down as the second-best mark during the 25-point scoring era (2008-present) if the season ended today. Zoe McBride also had three aces against the Bears, moving her into a tie for 10th in the Big Sky with 0.33 aces per set this season.FORMATION CHANGE
Last Saturday's match against Northern Colorado saw the Vikings switch back to a 6-2 formation, as the Vikings continue to play with their look this season. The Vikings started the season in a 5-1 before switching to a 6-2 for the team's matches against Idaho (Sept. 30), Eastern Washington (Oct. 1), Southern Utah (Oct. 7) and Northern Arizona (Oct. 9). The Vikings went back to a 5-1 for their matches at Montana (Oct. 14), Montana State (Oct. 16) and Sacramento State (Oct. 19), but then were back in the 6-2 last Saturday. The offense has seemed to hum no matter the formation, whether Teniyah Leuluai and Maddy Reeb come on in spell of Ally Wada and Parker Webb, respectively, or not. No matter the formation, the Vikings average 13.6 kills and 12.5 assists per set in Big Sky play while hitting .222. Wada and Leuluai have both contributed to that from the setter spot, as they average 7.65 and 4.42 assists per set, respectively, against Big Sky opponents. The Vikings also have five different players averaging at least two kills per set in Big Sky play, with Reeb (2.00 k/s) joining Makayla Lewis (3.46 k/s), Webb (2.76 k/s), Gabby Hollins (2.61 k/s) and Zoe McBride (2.03 k/s).ELLIE SNOOK STANDS ALONE
Ellie Snook joined elite company within the Viking program when she was named the Big Sky Conference Libero of the Year last season. Snook wrote her name next to Kasimira Clark (2012, 2013) and Tasha Bojanic (2017) as fellow honorees, giving the Vikings' program four recipients over the past nine seasons. But within this season, Snook remains in a company by herself as she holds a commanding lead within the Big Sky Conference for digs per set. Snook averages 5.41 digs per set, more than a full dig per set better than the No. 2-ranked player in the conference, Montana's Sarina Moreno at 4.16. Snook's been on a particularly strong run over the past seven weeks, and the fact that the Vikings have won 13 of their 16 matches during that span is no coincidence. Snook has won three Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week honors, with the latest coming on Oct. 11 following a weekend in which she averaged 6.00 digs per set against Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. Snook's big weekend moved her into the top 10 of the NCAA this season, where she's remained as she currently stands eighth nationally in the category. Snook could approach her own single-season school record if she keeps playing like she has been, as she's not far off the record of 5.47 digs per set she set as a freshman in 2019.MAKAYLA LEWIS, FROM SPARTAN TO VIKING
A transfer from San Jose State before the season, Makayla Lewis has made a seamless transition from being a Spartan to a Viking. Lewis averaged over four kills a set during the first two weekends of Big Sky play, and has led the Vikings in kills in seven of their 10 Big Sky matches. Lewis ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 3.46 kills per set in conference matches, when she's also been averaging 2.68 digs per set. Lewis' emergence has coincided with the Vikings' turn of fortune after their first five matches of the season. Of Lewis' 229 kills this season, 211 of them have come in the past six weeks when the Vikings have won 13 of their 16 matches since the start of the PDX Classic on Sept. 9. Lewis helped lead the Vikings to their best team hitting percentage since 2016, as she recorded a match-high 14 kills on .333 hitting while the Vikings hit .398 as a team against Idaho on Sept. 30. Lewis' best match this season came in the Vikings' five-set win over previously unbeaten Grand Canyon on Sept. 10. Lewis set a career high with 25 kills in that match, as she hit .302 while adding 12 digs. Lewis also had 19 kills on .333 hitting in the Vikings' four-set win over cross-town rival University of Portland on Sept. 9.WEBB SLINGER
With apologies to Peter Parker, the Spider-Verse doesn't appeal to us nearly as much as the Parker Webb-Verse. And since the start of the PDX Classic on Sept. 9, it appears we've all been in the Parker Webb-verse as the veteran right side has dominated for the Vikings. Webb has recorded double-digit kills in 12 of the Vikings' 16 matches since the start of the PDX Classic, and has hit .300 or better in 10 of those 12 matches. Webb remains the only player in the Big Sky who ranks in the top 10 of the conference for both kills per set (T-5th, 3.23) and hitting percentage (9th, .284). Webb showcased a new level for herself at the Les Schwab Rose City Showdown from Sept. 17-19. There, Webb averaged 4.67 kills, 2.33 digs, 0.92 blocks, 0.42 aces and 5.58 points per set while hitting .385. Those numbers earned her Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week honors, the second time in her career she has been so honored. Additionally, Webb was at her best in the Vikings' first two five-set wins this season. Webb helped the Vikings hand Grand Canyon its first loss of the season on Sept. 10, recording 22 kills on .383 hitting to go with 14 digs. Webb then topped that with 23 kills on .360 hitting and 15 digs in the team's five-set win over North Dakota State on Sept. 18, a match in which the Vikings erased an 0-2 deficit for the first time since 2016.A WHOLE LOTTA WADA
Senior Ally Wada has been a walking double-double since arriving in Portland from San Francisco before last season. Wada had 11 double-doubles in 17 matches last season, and added her 10th of this season with 17 assists and 11 digs in the Vikings' 3-1 win over Northern Colorado last Saturday. Double-double career records at Portland State only date back to 2005, but Wada moved into a tie with Jaklyn Wheeler (2012-13) for ninth all-time with her 21st career double-double against the Bears. It's no coincidence that the Vikings are 10-0 when Wada records a double-double, with nine of those coming in the Vikings' last 16 matches, when the Vikings are 13-3 as a team. Behind Wada, the Vikings have hit .222 against conference opponents, a mark that ranks them fourth in the conference within Big Sky play. That's a stark contrast to how the Vikings started the year, as they ranked last in the Big Sky while hitting just .084 through their first five matches. Wada's best match came in the Vikings' five-set win over Grand Canyon on Sept. 10. Wada set a new career high with 62 assists against the Lopes, 11 of which came as the Vikings recorded 14 kills in the fifth set. Wada now ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 8.29 assists per set for the season, while she's helped the Vikings jump to second in the conference in both kills per set (12.9) and assists per set (11.9).NO LONGER A MCBRIDESMAID, NOW A MCBRIDE
At the PDX Classic on Sept. 9-11, Zoe McBride recorded only one kill in seven sets, as she played sparingly due to lack of production. Head coach Michael Seemann said McBride did not accept that of herself, however, and responded with a great week of practice in the week that followed. She hasn't looked back sense. In the very next weekend after the PDX Classic, McBride recorded three straight double-doubles as the Vikings went 3-0 at their second home tournament, the Les Schwab Rose City Showdown. Then against Idaho on Sept. 30, McBride put together her most efficient match of the season to date while leading the Vikings to a three-set sweep of the Vandals. McBride totaled 11 kills on 19 swings without committing an attack error, giving her a .579 hitting percentage. The latest of McBride's standout matches this season came last Saturday, when she led the Vikings with 16 points against Northern Colorado between 10 kills, three aces and four blocks (two solo). McBride also tied Ashleigh Barto for the team lead with 14 kills against Montana on Oct. 14 to go with 11 digs, giving McBride her fifth double-double of the season. McBride also put together a big match in the Vikings' 3-1 win over Gonzaga on Sept. 19, when she set season highs for kills (15) and digs (19).YOUNG NO MORE
The Vikings have more upperclassmen (10) than underclassmen (6) this season for the first time since 2018. The team has been developing its young players over the past two seasons, and now has as many fifth-year seniors (3 – Genevieve Florig, Maddy Reeb, Parker Webb) as they do true freshmen (3 – Morgan Halady, Teniyah Leuluai, Lily Snook). It's a far cry from where the Vikings' roster was two years ago, when the team featured seven freshmen and nine underclassmen on their 12-player roster.DIVISION I TRANSFERS
The Vikings have added six Division I transfers in the past two seasons. Zoe McBride (Morgan State), Megan Sester (Cal Baptist) and Ally Wada (San Francisco) joined the Vikings before last season, while Genevieve Florig (UCONN), Makayla Lewis (San Jose State) and Sydney Rabe (UW Green Bay) joined the Vikings before this season. McBride and Wada finished with four and 11 double-doubles, respectively, in the team's shortened 2021 winter season. Lewis, meanwhile, was the only Viking to finish with at least eight kills, four blocks and 10 digs in the team's 5-0 exhibition win over Central Washington Monday.PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Big Sky coaches picked the Vikings to finish sixth in the conference before the season. If that were to come to fruition, it would mark the Vikings' highest finish within the conference since 2017, when they placed fourth. A sixth-place finish in the Big Sky would also see the Vikings return to the Big Sky tournament for the first time since 2017, when they made it to the conference semifinals before losing to regular-season champion and host Sacramento State.SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Oct. 23, 2021, Portland State 3, Northern Colorado 1: The Vikings recorded their first win over Northern Colorado since 2017, and only their second win over the Bears since 2013. What's more, the win broke a tie with the Bears for second in the Big Sky standings, and gave the Vikings the tiebreaker over the Bears this season.Oct. 16, 2021, Portland State 3, Montana State 1: The Vikings saved five set points while winning the first set, 34-32, then saved another set point while winning the third set, 27-25. The 34-32 first set was the longest set the Vikings have played since a 34-32 third-set victory in another match against the Bobcats on Oct. 24, 2015. The win over Montana State marked the Vikings' first road win over the Bobcats since 2017, and completed the Vikings' first road sweep of the Montana schools since 2013.
Oct. 14, 2021, Portland State 3, Montana 2: The Vikings erased a 2-1 deficit to beat the Grizzlies in five sets, recording their first road win at Montana since 2016 in the process.
Oct. 9, 2021, Portland State 3, Northern Arizona 1: The Vikings erased a first-set loss to come back and win for the fifth time this season. The fact that it came against NAU, a team that had beaten the Vikings in 14 of their previous 16 meetings, made it all the more impressive.
Oct. 7, 2021, Portland State 3, Southern Utah 0: A third straight sweep extended the Vikings' streak of set victories to 12, going back to the second set against Idaho State on Sept. 25.
Oct. 1, 2021, Portland State 3, Eastern Washington 0: The Vikings completed their first Big Sky road sweep since 2017 with a 3-0 sweep of Eastern Washington.
Sept. 30, 2021, Portland State 3, Idaho 0: The Vikings hit .398 for their best hitting percentage in a match since they hit .432 in a three-set win over Montana State on Sept. 29, 2016. Three different players recorded at least 10 kills while also hitting over .333. Zoe McBride and Maddy Reeb totaled 11 and 10 kills, respectively, while both hit north of .500 at .579 and .529.
Sept. 25, 2021, Portland State 3, Idaho State 1: The Vikings overcame a first-set loss to beat the Bengals in four sets. Out of seven wins so far this season, four have come in matches where the Vikings dropped the opening set.
Sept. 19, 2021, Portland State 3, Gonzaga 1: The Vikings overcame late deficits in the first and third sets to beat the Zags in four. The Vikings trailed by at least five points in every set that they won. The Vikings won 11 of the final 15 points in the first set after falling behind 19-14. The Vikings then won 12 of the final 14 points in the third set after trailing 21-13. In the fourth set, the Vikings won 16 of the final 20 points to run away with it after Gonzaga led 10-5 early.
Sept. 18, 2021, Portland State 3, North Dakota State 2: The Vikings overcame an 0-2 deficit while reverse sweeping the Bison to win in five sets. It was the first time the Vikings have come back to win after losing the first two sets since doing it against Utah State on Sept. 8, 2016.
Sept. 17, 2021, Portland State 3, North Dakota State 0: The Vikings hit a seasonal-best .312 against the Bison, who came into the match having won four straight, including a 3-1 win over Cal out of the Pac-12. The Vikings hadn't topped .300 hitting in a match since their 2019 season opener.
Sept. 10, 2021, Portland State 3, Grand Canyon 2: The Vikings handed Grand Canyon, which entered the match 7-0, its first loss of the season while winning in five sets. Makayla Lewis and Parker Webb became the first Viking teammates to record 20+ kills in the same match since Pati Anae and Eva Linden each had 21 kills against Montana State on Oct. 24, 2015. Those two were also part of four Vikings who finished with double-doubles in the match, only the second time that's happened since 2010, and the first time since 2019.
Sept. 9, 2021, Portland State 3, Portland 1: The Vikings beat their cross-town rival in the Pilots, breaking open a match that had been tied 1-1 and 14-all in the third set. The Vikings won 11 of the final 14 points of the third set, then dominated the fourth set, 25-7.
Aug. 28, 2021, Portland State 3, Santa Clara 1: Ellie Snook set a new four-set career high with 30 digs as the Vikings overcame a first-set loss to beat the Broncos in four sets. Snook had 14 digs in the crucial third set alone. Ally Wada was named to the Oregon Invitational All-Tournament Team after she finished with 33 assists and 17 digs in the match.
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October 27, 2021 at 01:48AM
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Vikings Continue Home Stand with Matches against Idaho State, First-Place Weber State this Weekend - Portland State Vikings
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