Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Match 1 Box Score - PDF | HTML
Match 2 Box Score - PDF | HTML

BOULDER, CO – The Vikings split a pair of matches Saturday at the Omni Classic hosted by the University of Colorado in Boulder. Portland State dropped the first match of the day in straight sets to Pittsburgh by scores of 25-20, 28-26, and 25-19. The Vikings then picked up their first win of the season in the nightcap with a four-set win over Georgia Southern by scores of 25-14, 23-25, 25-14, and 25-19.
 
The Vikings jumped out to a quick first set win against Georgia Southern in their second match of the day. PSU came out swinging and hit .550 (14-3-20) in the first set to take it 25-14. Portland State fell behind early in the first but came back to tie it at 10-10 on a Roni LaPierre kill. From there the Vikings went on a 15-4 run to close out the first set. LaPierre was a perfect 6-for-6 on attacks in the first.
 
After having just three attacking errors in the first set, the Vikings cooled off offensively hitting .050 in the second set against GSU. PSU led through much of the second set before the Eagles tied it at 20-20. Three straight points by Georgia Southern gave them a three-point lead at 23-20. The Eagles then closed out the second 25-23 to even the match at one set apiece.
 
Three straight attacking errors and a bad set by the Eagles gave the Vikings an early 4-0 lead in the third set. Portland State used the momentum to keep rolling through the third set and got out to a 12-point lead at 18-6. The Vikings went on to win the third set, 25-14, to go up 2-to-1.
 
Georgia Southern went up 4-1 early in the fourth set before Portland State came back and tied it at 7-7. After the teams traded points, the Vikings went on a run to take the lead. Freshman middle blocker Sarah Liva sealed the victory for the Vikings with her career-high ninth kill of the match. Liva was a perfect 4-for-4 in kills in the final frame and added a pair of blocking assists for a career-high five blocks.   
 
The Vikings had 11 services aces from six different players against the Eagles, easily the Vikings best mark of the season. Tough serving is something Seemann has stressed during his tenure on the Park Blocks. Portland State struggled from the service line at the Northwest Challenge last weekend compiling seven aces in 11 sets. That changed this weekend as the Vikings tallied 21 in 10 sets in Colorado.
 
Earlier in the day the Vikings fell in straight sets to the Pittsburgh Panthers. Pitt took the first set 25-20. The Vikings pushed the Panthers in the second set but lost it by two, 28-26. Pitt then completed the sweep with a 25-19 win in the third. The Panthers out-hit the Vikings .245-to-.109 in the match.
 
The Vikings next hit the court Thursday, Sept. 11 against Cal State Northridge at the Nike Invitational hosted by the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK.
 
NOTES: Kasimira "Kasi" Clark moved into sixth all-time at Portland State in career digs with 14 against Georgia Southern … Clark passed Jessica Brodie and now has 1,454 for her career … Portland State tallied a season-high 11 service aces … Tasha Bojanic make her first career start … Portland State broke a five-match losing streak to start the season, its longest since 2000.