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LOOKING AHEAD: The Portland State women's soccer team will kickoff its 2011 campaign this weekend in Utah when it takes on Utah Valley, Friday at 6 p.m. PT, and Utah State on Sunday with kickoff slated for 12 p.m.

FOLLOW ALONG: Follow both matches online by visiting www.goviks.com and clicking the live stats link.

SCOUTING UTAH VALLEY: Utah Valley comes into the 2011 campaign off a 10-9-1 overall record in 2010, which included a second place finish in the Great West Conference with a 5-0-1 record. The Wolverines are without their top-two scorers from a year ago due to graduation. The leading returning scorer is junior Ragan Clifford who compiled 10 points on three goals and four assists. The Wolverines also return starting goalkeeper Lauren Sack who started 13 of the team's 20 games in 2010 and who posted a goals against average of 0.98 in nearly 1,400 minutes.

SCOUTING UTAH STATE: The Aggies played to a 9-7-5 record in 2010 and went 5-2-1 in Western Athletic Conference play. They lost their leading scorer to graduation but return a very prolific scorer in Shantel Flanary who recorded 24 points on nine goals and six assists and started every match. Molli Merrill returns for the Aggies in goal after starting all but two games in 2010 and recording a goals against average of 0.94 in over 1,700 minutes.

2010 CAMPAIGN: Last season Portland State set a record for most conference wins with its 5-2-0 record in the Big Sky. The win mark lifted the Vikings to second-place in the final conference standings. Portland State finished the season with a 9-10-1 overall record.

SCHOTTING THE BREEZE: Vikings head coach Laura Schott will be entering her fourth season at the helm in 2011. With 24 wins under her belt, Schott is No. 3 all-time in career wins at Portland State and is within distance of setting a new mark this fall. Bernie Fagan (1993-96) and Tara Erickson (2001-2004) share PSU's record at 29 wins.

BIG SKY SUPERIORITY: The Vikings have been among the Big Sky Conference's elite the last three years, winning the regular season in 2009 and finishing as the runner-up in both 2008 and 2010.

KEEPING IT LOCAL ON THE PARK BLOCKS: Since taking over in 2008, Schott has increased the number of locals on the Vikings squad. As the number of Oregonians increases, so have the number of wins.

In 2008 there were four Oregonians on the squad that ended the season 5-11-4. In 2009 the win total increased to 10 wins with 10 Oregonians on the team. In 2010 the number of Oregonians increased to 11 and the team won nine games and a school best five games in conference play.

DOUBLE-TROUBLE: Portland State will have two sets of twins on the 2011 roster in Carlie and Megan Martin and Kayla and Kelsey Henningson.

PRESEASON COACHES' POLL: The Vikings were selected fourth in the 2011 Big Sky coaches' poll. Exceeding the expectations has been the Portland State motto under head coach Laura Schott. Portland State was picked to finish fifth in 2008 and 2009, but went on to finish second and first, respectively. The Vikings were then picked third in last year's preseason poll but went on to take second in the conference.

THE SHORTEST IN YEARS: Though Portland State has played two exhibitions in August, one against Concordia (Ore.) Aug. 10 and another against Miami (Fla.) Aug. 14 at Hillsboro Stadium, the Vikings will only play 17 regular-season games, the team's shortest regular-season schedule since 1995.

Portland State was in its last year as a Division II Independent and would go on to finish 9-5-2, before joining the Big Sky the following year. Millette DeSpain led the team with 12 goals and nine assists that year.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Once again, the Vikings will call Hillsboro Stadium home after playing seven-of-eight home contests at the facility last season. In 2011, Portland State will have seven regular season contests and one preseason match at the stadium.

THE PARK BLOCKS WORLD CUP CREDIBILITY: Freshman Daniela Solis, a three-time all-state selection at Sherwood High School, represented Mexico at the U17 Girls World Cup in 2010, hosted by Trinidad and Tobago. Solis made three appearances, two starts, and tallied the game-winning goal against the Republic of South Africa.