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LOOKING AHEAD: The Vikings head back on the road this weekend when they travel to Reno, Nev. to take part in the Wolf Pack Invitational. They will take on host team Nevada Friday night at 7 p.m. PT and will then take on Detroit Mercy at 11 a.m. Sunday morning.

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

SCOUTING NEVADA: Nevada comes into the Wolf Pack Invitational with a 1-3 record on the season. It finally got a win against Utah by a score of 1-0 after dropping its first three games of the season. The Wolf Pack has scored just two goals on the season as opposed to the nine they have given up to opponents. Nevada is coming off of a 2010 campaign that saw it go 7-9-3 overall and 2-5-1 in Western Athletic Conference play. The Vikings hold a 3-2-0 all-time advantage over the Wolf Pack with the last match coming as a 3-0 Vikings win in 2009.

SCOUTING DETROIT MERCY: Detroit is 3-1 overall on the season coming into this weekend's play in Reno. The Titans have outscored their opponents by a score of 12-2 in their first four games with three players scoring three goals apiece. The Titans have started two keepers this season with each only giving up one goal in 180 minutes played. Detroit Mercy will take on UNLV in the first match of the Wolf Pack Invitational.

LAST TIME OUT: The Vikings evened their season record at 2-2 over the past weekend with wins over UNLV on Friday and Idaho on Sunday.

The Vikings defeated the Rebels 1-0 in double-overtime Friday night when Amanda Dutra connected with Kayla Henningsen on a free kick with less than four minutes left in the match. It was Henningsen's first collegiate goal.

On Sunday Portland State evened its record with a 2-1 victory over Idaho at Hillsboro Stadium. Esty Geiger connected with Melissa Trammell to take an early 1-0 lead. After the Vandals tied the game at 1-1, Dutra scored the eventual game-winning goal off a pass from Amber Fenton.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: For their efforts over the past weekend, Dutra and Geiger were named the Big Sky Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week respectively. It was the second honor for Dutra and the first for Geiger. Dutra recorded a goal and an assist over the weekend while Geiger played all 107-plus minutes and recorded an assist.

INJURY BUG: Sophomore Eryn Brown will be out the rest of the year after suffering a season-ending knee injury in an exhibition game against Miami (Fla.) on Aug. 14. Also out of for the season is senior midfielder Amanda Howie who suffered a foot injury.

SCHOTTING THE BREEZE: Vikings head coach Laura Schott is in her fourth season at the helm in 2011. With 26 wins under her belt, Schott is third 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 has 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, Vikings 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.

NEXT UP: Following this weekend's play in Reno, the Vikings will return home to host the Vikings Soccer Classic Friday, Oct. 9 and Sunday, Oct. 11. The Viking will take on Boise State and then Seattle University.