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Thurs. 7 p.m. CT at UND	Live Stats | Live Video
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	Shelbi Miyashiro Sophomore / Setter   Shelbi made her first career start against Idaho (10/9) and posted her first career double-double with 28 assists and 12 digs.
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First Serve: The Portland State Vikings (5-13 overall, 3-3 Big Sky Conference) begin a stretch of four road matches this week when they head to Grand Forks, N.D. to take on The University of North Dakota (17-6, 5-1) on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. CT. It will be a clash of defending co-Big Sky regular season champions. The Vikings will then fly to Sacramento, Calif. to take on the Sacramento State Hornets (5-16, 0-6) on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. PT.

Live Coverage: Both matches will feature a live video stream which can be found at WatchBigSky.com. Live stats will also be available for both matches. Links for both can be found on the volleyball schedule page at GoViks.com.

Last Time Out: The Vikings are coming off their best weekend of the season going 2-0 with a dramatic five-set win over Idaho and a three-set sweep of Eastern Washington.
     Portland State alternated sets with Idaho winning the odd numbered sets. The Vikings went up 8-4 early in the fifth set but the Vandals came back to tie the set at 10-10. The teams traded points before the Vikings went up 13-11. Two straight by Idaho once again tied it at 13-13. A PSU attacking error gave Idaho match-point at 14-13 but a service error evened the set again at 14-14. The Vikings scored the next two points capped by a Cheyne Corrado kill to take the match in five. Corrado finished with a team-high 16 kills. She added 10 digs for her team-best fifth double-double. Shelbi Miyashiro posted her first career double-double with 28 assists and 12 digs.
     Portland  State then put together their best defensive match of the year holding Eastern Washington to a -.036 (24-28-112) hitting mark. The Vikings posted their second straight double-digit blocking performance as a team with 12.0 led by Katie O'Brien and Sara Liva's six blocks apiece (1-5). Corrado hit .407 for the Vikings with 15 kills. The Vikings posted 50 digs as a team, second most for a three-set match this season. Kasimira "Kasi" Clark followed up a 24-dig performance against Idaho with 15 against Eastern Washington. 

The Opposition: Portland State holds a slim 4-2 all-time lead over North Dakota. The teams met just twice before UND joined the Big Sky Conference for the 2012 season. During conference action, both teams have gone a perfect 2-0 at home. This will be the only meeting between PSU and UND as the two teams are now in alternate BSC divisions. 
     The Vikings and Hornets have a much longer history dating back to 1979 (the first year in the PSU record book). Sacramento State holds the all-time series lead at 37-21 after winning 23-straight matches from 1989-2004. The Hornets have been particularly difficult for the Vikings on the road. Portland State has just three wins all-time at The Nest. The first road win came in five sets in 1983. PSU did not pick up its next road win until 2009, the third year under Head Coach Michael Seemann. Seemann picked up his second road win in Sacramento in 2012 in five sets. 

North Dakota: North Dakota enters this week's action boasting the Big Sky Conference's second best overall win percentage at 17-6 (.739). UND has continued its winning ways into conference play starting 5-1 and sits atop the Big Sky North, one match ahead of Idaho (4-2). North Dakota started the season 1-2 before winning five straight. North Dakota just had its season-high six-match winning streak broken in straight sets after a 3-0 loss at Idaho State on Oct. 11. If Portland State can win Thursday, it would mean the second consecutive loss for UND, something it has yet to do this season. Thursday's match will be North Dakota's annual "Think Pink" match in support of breast cancer awareness. 
     A lot of UND's success this season has been at the net. North Dakota is second in the NCAA in total blocks (through Oct. 12) with 217.5. UND's 2.65 blocks per set average is second in the conference and 28th in the NCAA. Freshman MH Faith Dooley leads the league with 1.38 blocks per set, which is 25th in the NCAA while her 109.0 total blocks is third in the nation. 
North Dakota is third in the league with a .231 hitting mark for the season. UND's blocking prowess at the net has helped it to a .149 opponent hitting mark, second best in the league. Also helping the low opponent hitting mark is the fact that UND aslo leads the league with 16.77 digs per set. 
     To go along with her league leading 1.38 blocks per set, Dooley is second on the team with 207 kills and 2.62 kills per set. She is also ninth in the league with a .315 hitting percentage. Senior OH Lexi Robinson leads the team with 2.67 kills per set (219 kills) and is second on the squad with 3.37 digs per set. Junior OH/DS McKenzie Hart is second in the Big Sky with 4.71 digs per set. 

Last Year Against UND: Portland State and North Dakota split the season series in 2013 with each team winning on its home court. The two teams finished the season with identical 17-3 Big Sky records and shared the regular season title. North Dakota took the first meeting in five sets on Oct. 12 in Grand Forks, N.D. After UND took the first two sets, PSU came back to force a decisive fifth set. North Dakota took the fifth set 18-16 after fighting off a PSU match-point at 15-14. Portland State had four players in double-figures led by Leigh-Ann Haataja's 13 kills. Senior Garyn Schlatter posted a double-double with 50 assists and 11 digs. She also added eight blocks and six kills. Kasimira "Kasi" Clark posted a team-high 30 digs as the Vikings tallied 93 as a team. 
     Portland State evened the season series with a five-set win of its own on Nov. 14 at the Peter W. Stott Center. After dropping the first set, PSU won two straight to go up 2-1. UND was able to force a fifth set, which PSU took 15-12. Portland State outhit North Dakota .225-to-.190 in the match and posted 17.0 total blocks, one shy of its season high of 18.0 set against UND in Grand Forks. Aubrey Mitchell led the team with 13 kills and hit .346 (13-4-26). Haataja led the Vikings with nine blocks (2-7) while Katie O'Brien posted seven including a season-high four solo blocks. 

The Hornets: Sacramento State begins play this week with one of the worst overall records in the league at 5-16 and is the only winless team in Big Sky play at 0-6. The Hornets lost six of their first eight matches of the season before picking up back-to-back wins over San Jose State (3-2) and Cal State Bakersfield (3-1). Sacramento State is currently on a six-match losing streak since the opening of league play. The Hornets have lost three five-set matches during the streak and are 1-5 overall this season in five-setters. Sacramento State is historically very tough at home going 191-66 since joining the Big Sky in 1996. However, the Hornets are 0-8 at home this season. 
     Sacramento State is hitting .166 as a team this season while opponents are hitting .210. The Hornets are averaging 11.3 kills, 10.7 assists, 1.5 aces, 13.1 digs, and 2.1 blocks per set this season. They are one of the toughest serving teams in the league with 118 aces. However, Sacramento State is susceptible to the serve and has allowed 141 aces, worst in the league. 
     Junior OH Slone Lovett leads the Hornets with 230 kills (3.24 kps) on the season, fourth in the Big Sky. Freshman S Kennedy Kurtz is eight in the league with 9.32 assists per set and third in the league with 0.33 aces per set (27 total aces).

Last Year Against SAC: The Vikings and Hornets split the season series in 2013 with each team winning on their home court. Portland State easily dispatched of Sacramento State in three sets on Sept. 21 by scores of 25-20, 25-14, and 25-11. Aubrey Mitchell led with a match-high 11 kills while Kaeli Patton and Cheyne Corrado each added 10. The Vikings tallied 10.0 total blocks led by six each from Katie O'Brien and Mitchell.
     Sacramento State evened the season series on Oct. 15 in four sets. It was the third and final league loss for the Vikings as they finished the season 17-3 in conference play riding a nine-match winning streak. Kaeli Patton posted a match-high 17 kills for PSU. Sacramento State outhit Portland State .281-to-.259 for the match.   

Up Next: Portland State will continue its four-match road schedule next week when the Vikings head to Big Sky Country to take on both Montana schools. The Vikings will face off with Montana on Friday, Oct. 24 before facing Montana State on Saturday, Oct. 25. 

Vikings Go For First Road Win: Portland State is looking for its first road win of the season. PSU is 0-6 on the road overall this season and 0-2 on the road in league play. The Vikings are a combined 2-11 away from the Peter W. Stott Center this season. 

Clark Getting Closer: Senior L Kasimira "Kasi" Clark entered the season seventh on Portland State's all-time career digs list. She started just 373 digs shy of the Portland State all-time career digs record of 1,742. Clark has tallied 274 digs this season (4.28 dps) and has moved all the way up to second all-time with 1,604 digs for her career. She became the third Viking to surpass the 1,600-career digs mark against Idaho State on Oct. 4. Clark currently has 1,643 career digs and is 99 digs away from the all-time record with 10 matches to play. 

Player Passed (Career Digs)	Date	Opponent	Digs vs. Opponent
Jessica Brodie (1,441)	9/6	Georgia Southern	14
Joy Russell (1,480)	9/12	Oklahoma	16
Cathy Kuntz (1,498)	9/15	No. 14 Oregon	20
Leanne Peters (1,571)	10/2	Weber State	20
Sarah Sirianni (1,603)	10/4	Idaho State	16
Eavi Shovlin (1,742)	-	-	-

Big Time Blockers: Seniors Leigh-Ann Haataja and Katie O'Brien have been one of the most, if not the most, prolific blocking duos in Portland State history. Both surpassed the 400-career block mark this season and are ranked in the top 20 in NCAA DI active block leaders. O'Brien is tied for 16th among active career leaders with 425 career blocks. Haataja is 19th with 417 career blocks. They are also sixth and seventh respectively on Portland State's all-time career total blocks list. The next Viking ahead is Leanne Peters (1990-93) at 453. The two spent their first three years as a middle blocking tandem but Haataja has been moved to the outside for her senior season.

KO at the Net: Senior MB Katie O'Brien has been a force at the net for the Vikings since entering Big Sky Conference play. O'Brien is second in the league with 36.0 total blocks and a 1.57 blocks per set mark. O'Brien has posted 5.0-or-more blocks in all but one conference match this season including 8.0 against Northern Arizona (9/29) and 10.0 against Idaho (10/9). 

Seemann Gets No. 100: Eighth-year Head Coach Michael Seeman picked up his 100th-career Big Sky Conference win in a dramatic five-set victory against Idaho on Oct. 9. It took Seemann only 125 matches to get to 100 wins going 100-25 (.800). Seemann is tops among active Big Sky coaches in career conference wins and fourth all-time in conference victories. 

Home Sweet Home: Portland State has been nearly unbeatable at the Peter W. Stott Center under Head Coach Michael Seemann, especially during Big Sky Conference play. The Vikings are 77-17 overall under Seemann at home and 59-5 in Big Sky play. They are 3-2 overall this season. .

Biggest in the Sky: The Vikings are 150-142 (.514) all-time in conference play since moving to the NCAA Division I level and joining the Big Sky in 1996. PSU went 12-68 over its first five years in the conference under head coach Chris Stanley including a pair of 0-16 conference seasons. The Vikings began to turn it around under Jeff Mozzochi going 37-49 in his second go-around as head coach. Since current Head Coach Michael Seemann took over in 2007, the Vikings have been off the charts. They are 101-25 (.802) under Seemann in conference play but are even better at home going 59-5 (.922). Seemann has the most conference wins among active Big Sky coaches. 

Jackson Makes Her Mark: Prior to Portland State's match against Idaho on Oct. 9, freshman Emani Jackson had played in just one set. Jackson came in off the bench for the Vikings against the Vandals and tallied nine kills and four blocks (1-3). She hit .250 (9-4-20) on the outside. She signed with the Vikings as a middle blocker but has been moved outside as an opposite hitter. 

Vikings Go With Two Setters: Freshman S Erin Clark started the first 16 matches of the season prior to the Vikings' match with Idaho on Oct. 9. The Vikings threw a wrinkle into their offense switching to a two setter rotation. Sophomore S Shelbi Miyashiro made her first career start against the Vandals and would play through three rotations before giving way to Clark for the next three. 

Miyashiro in the Mix: Sophomore S Shelbi Miyashiro was inserted into the lineup for the Vikings as they moved to a two-setter rotation against Idaho on Oct. 9. Miyashiro made the most of her first career start tallying career highs in assists (28) and digs (12) for her first career double-double. 

Winning Streak: The Vikings had their consecutive Big Sky regular season home winning streak snapped against Idaho State on Oct. 4. Prior to the loss to the Bengals, the Vikings had won 25-straight conference regular season matches at the Peter W. Stott Center, one shy of the program record of 26. 

Corrado Goes Big: Senior OH Cheyne Corrado posted a career-high 18 kills while adding 12 digs for her third double-double of the season at Northern Arizona (9/25) to open Big Sky Conference play. She then posted 15 kills and 13 digs at Southern Utah for her second straight double-double, forth of the season. She is averaging 4.12 kills per set, second in the league, during conference play so far this season. 

Liva at the Net: Freshman MB Sarah Liva had the best match of her young career at the net against Washington State (9/19). Liva posted a career-high, and team season high, 8.0 total blocks (2-6) including a career-high two solo blocks. Liva now leads the team with 38 blocks on the season (0.93 blocks per set). She has at least two blocks in all but two matches this season.

PSU vs. The Ranked: Over the course of the first four weeks of the season, Portland State faced three ranked opponents. The other 11 Big Sky Conference schools have combined for six matches against ranked opponents. North Dakota, Eastern Washington and Idaho State have each faced two. 

Freshmen Making Their Mark: The Vikings welcomed six true freshmen to the roster this year and they have made an immediate impact.  
• Setter Erin Clark is the first Viking to start as a setter not named Garyn Schlatter in four years and has had a great start to her career. She started the first 16 matches of the season. Clark is averaging 8.73 assists per game along with 1.83 digs per set and 0.95 kills per set. PSU switched to a two-setter rotation against Idaho (10/9). 
• Middle blocker Sarah Liva has improved every match for the Vikings at middle blocker. After a relatively slow start, Liva posted four blocks against No. 23 Loyola Marymount (9/18) and a career-high eight blocks against Washington State (9/19). She is averaging 1.30 kps and leads the team with 59.0 blocks. 
• Outside hitter Roni LaPierre has been one of the Vikings go-to attackers with a killer instinct on the outside. She is second on team with 2.68 kps and is averaging 2.04 dps. She has posted three of the Vikings' 11 double-doubles this season including against No. 14 Oregon (11 kills, 10 digs). 
• Fellow freshmen Lauren Nicholson and Tasha Bojanic have both seen time this season. Bojanic has played in 34 of the team's 56 sets and is averaging 1.79 digs per set. Nicholson started the year as a serving specialist but has seen her time increase as an outside. She has 26 kills and 25 digs on the year along with eight aces.  

Career Day for Corrado: Senior OH Cheyne Corrado put together one of her best offensive performance of her four-year career in a four-set loss at Oklahoma (9/12). Corrado posted 17 kills against the Sooners and hit .263 for the match. What pushed her performance over the top was the fact that she tallied seven aces in the match. She became just the seventh player in PSU history to tally seven or more aces in a match. It was the second best all-time for the Vikings in a four-set match.

Roni Coming Out Swinging: It did not take long for freshman OH Roni LaPierre to get her feet wet. She tallied eight kills (4-for-5 in the first set) against No. 4 Washington. She added 11 against Boise State and then 15 against Gonzaga to close out her first career weekend.
Serving it Up: The Vikings had an uncharacteristically slow start to the season at the service line tallying only seven aces over the first weekend of the season. The Vikings picked that up at the Omni Classic with 21 aces over 10 sets including a season-high 11 against Georgia Southern (9/6). Portland State got aces from six different players including three from Cheyne Corrado. Corrado added a career-high seven kills against Oklahoma (9/13) and the Vikings are now averaging 0.31 aces per set for the season. 

Slow Start: After a slow start to the season, the Vikings picked up their first win of the season, a four-set win over Georgia Southern at the Omni Classic in Boulder, CO. The Vikings opened the season on a five-match losing streak, their longest to start a season since 2000.