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Match vs. Lamar Box Score - PDF | HTML
Match vs. Oklahoma Box Score - PDF | HTML

NORMAN, Okla. – Cheyne Corrado's career day helped lead the Vikings to a split on the final day of the Nike Invitational in Norman, Okla. The Vikings completed their first sweep of the season in the day's first match winning in straight sets against Lamar University (25-19, 25-17, and 25-16). Corrado matched her career high with 17 kills in a four-set loss against Oklahoma (25-23, 25-21, 22-25, and 25-20) to finish out the day.
 
"We took care of business this morning in our first match against Lamar," eight-year Head Coach Michael Seemann said. "It helped get us back on track and gave us confidence coming into tonight's match with Oklahoma."
 
Corrado tallied six kills against Lamar before matching her career high of 17 kills against Oklahoma. The senior outside hitter recorded 23 total kills on the day (3.29 kills per set) along with 14 digs (2.00 dps), and eight aces. She posted seven aces against the Sooners, second most all-time at Portland State in a four-set match and sixth most all-time. She also picked up her second double-double of the season with 17 kills and 10 digs against the Sooners.
 
"Cheyne is striking the ball really well right now," Seemann said. "It's something we've been working on so I'm really happy to see how well she's striking it."
 
The Vikings opened the day with their first sweep of the season, defeating the Lamar. Portland State put up its highest hitting percentage performance of the season hitting .269 against the Cardinals. The Vikings tallied 40 kills to only 15 errors on 93 attacks.
 
Freshman OH Roni LaPierre led the Vikings with her first career double-double going for 11 kills and 10 digs. She also added a block and her first career ace.
 
Freshman S Erin Clark did an excellent job for the Vikings by distributing the ball around the court. Five different players had 10-plus attacks while six players had at least five kills.
 
After falling behind early in the first set against Lamar, the Vikings came back and took the lead. They increased their lead and took the first set 25-19. LaPierre and Sarah Liva each had four kills in the first set as they combined to go 8-2-16 for the set. The Vikings hit .346 in the first and went 16-for-19 in side out opportunities.
 
Lamar again took an early lead but Portland State did not let that last, and tied it at 3-3. The Vikings then went on a 6-1 run to go up 9-4 forcing Lamar to call a timeout. PSU pushed its lead to 16-8 on a kill from Haataja but three straight service aces from Lamar a few points later cut the lead to four at 17-13.
 
After a timely PSU timeout, LaPierre ended the scoring streak for the Cardinals to put the Vikings up 18-13. The Vikings continued to be aggressive from the service line and Haataja closed out the 25-17 win in the second with an ace.
 
LaPierre once again led the Vikings in scoring in the set with four kills. She also turned it on defensively coming up with seven of her 10 digs in the set. Corrado also had four kills in the second, which helped the Vikings to a .353 hitting mark for the set.  
 
There was no slow start for the Vikings in the third set against Lamar as they jumped out to an early 8-1 lead. O'Brien made it a 10-3 lead before six straight points by the Cardinals cut the lead to 10-9. After a timeout, PSU scored four of the next five points to go up 15-10. The Vikings would only increase their lead from there. O'Brien gave the Vikings a 25-16 win in the third and their first sweep of the season with her seven kill of the match.
 
Portland State held Lamar to a negative hitting percentage in the third set as the Cardinals hit -.107 (3-6-28) with just three kills.
 
After falling behind in the first set against Oklahoma, Portland State came back and tied the set at 10-10. The teams battled back and forth before the Sooners took a two-point lead at 20-18. The Vikings could not cut into the deficit and lost 25-23.
 
"Tonight's match was the most competitive we've been this season," Seemann added. "We put ourselves in a position to win. Even in the first set we had opportunities. In the third set especially, we made plays when we needed to like a timely stuff block with the set in the 20's. We got some great production from Katie O'Brien against Oklahoma which was great."
 
O'Brien hit a career-high .619 against the Sooners going 13-for-21 from the floor with no errors.
 
Portland State kept the second set close but eventually lost 25-21. Corrado had five kills in the second set along with four digs.
 
With the third set tied at 20-20, the Vikings took the lead on a key stuff block from Corrado and Liva. An Oklahoma attacking error put Portland State up 22-20 and forced the Sooners to take a timeout. OU came out of the timeout and scored two straight to tie the set at 22-22 forcing PSU to call a timeout. Corrado regained the lead for the Vikings with a kill and another Sooners error gave the Vikings set point. Clark won the set, 25-22, with a quick kill to force a fourth set.
 
Portland State was in it through much of the fourth set but Oklahoma went on a late run to take the set and the match 25-20 in the fourth.
 
The Vikings will return home for their home opener Monday, Sept. 15 when they host No. 18 Oregon at the Peter W. Stott Center. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.
 
NOTES: PSU had eight aces from seven players against Lamar … PSU hit a season-high .269 against Lamar … Roni LaPierre recorded her first double-double (11k, 10d) against Lamar … PSU recorded its first sweep of the season against Lamar … Katie O'Brien hit a career-high 13 kills against Oklahoma … O'Brien tallied a career-high .619 going 13-0-21 … Cheyne Corrado matched a career-high 17 kills against OU … Corrado had a career-high seven aces against OU … Corrado's seven aces is second all-time at PSU in a four-set match and sixth all-time in any match … Katie O'Brien was named to the all-tournament team.