Complete Match Notes (PDF)

PORTLAND, Ore. — After two straight seasons missing the Big Sky tournament, the Portland State women's soccer team finds itself battling for the top of the Big Sky table once again as they will Friday in Cheney, Wash., against first-place Eastern Washington.
 
The Vikings stand second in the Big Sky standings after sweeping their matches against Northern Arizona and Sacramento State last weekend, one point behind the Eagles, who lead the Big Sky with 13 points off a 4-0-1 conference record. The Vikings could move past the Eagles in the Big Sky standings with a win, which would put them on top of the conference for the first time since they won their last of five Big Sky regular-season titles in 2013.
 
The Vikings will take a three-match winning streak into their match against the Eagles, who have won four straight matches themselves since a 0-0 home draw with Sacramento State in their Big Sky opener on Sept. 22. Since then, the Eagles won a pair of 4-0 matches at home over Northern Arizona and Southern Utah, and swept North Dakota and Northern Colorado on the road last weekend.
 
The Eagles represent the top offensive team in the Big Sky this season, as they lead the conference in shots, points, goals and assists, both overall and in conference-matches only. The Eagles lead the conference by wide margins in each offensive category, too, as they average 2.07 goals per game – more than half a goal more per game than the next-best team, which happens to be Portland State at 1.62. The Eagles also lead the Big Sky with 5.60 points per game, more than a full point better than second-place Portland State at 4.54.
 
Friday's match will also feature the top two offensive players in the Big Sky in the Vikings' Katie Forsee and the Eagles' Chloe Williams. Forsee leads the Big Sky in goals, goals per game, points, points per game and game-winning goals this season, while Williams holds the Big Sky career record for points, and will tie the career record for goals scored with her next goal.
 
Williams ranks tied for third behind Forsee with six goals this season, but was named the 2015 and 2016 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year, and was invited to the USWNT U-23 Training Camp over the offseason.
 
The Eagles have also been the top defensive team in the Big Sky in conference matches. The Eagles have allowed only one goal to a Big Sky opponent, which came on the road last Friday against North Dakota. As a result, the Eagles lead the Big Sky in goals allowed (1), goals-against average (0.19) and shutouts (4) in Big Sky play.
 
Senior goalkeeper Emily Busselman has started the Eagles' last six matches in goal, including all five of the team's Big Sky matches. Busselman has a 0.72 goals-against average and .781 save percentage this season, and sports an 8-1-1 goalkeeper record.
 
The Vikings will then continue on the road against Idaho Sunday, when they'll play their first indoor match of the season in the Kibbie Dome.
 
The Vandals would have been expected to battle for the top of the Big Sky standings along with the Eagles this season, but have struggled at the start of the conference schedule. The Vandals, who came into the season as the two-time defending Big Sky regular-season champions, lost three of their first four Big Sky matches before breaking through for their first win on the road against North Dakota last Sunday.
 
The Vandals returned only four starters from their 2016 team, and lost two-time All-Big Sky first-team selection Kavita Battan, as well as All-Big Sky second-team selections Elexis Schlossarek, Clara Gomez and Emma Eddy. Those four represented the Vandals' top four goal scorers from last season, and accounted for 26 of the team's 39 goals in 2016.
 
The Vikings, meanwhile, have struggled on the road at times this season, but broke through for their first comeback road win since 2012 with a 2-1 win over Idaho State in their last road match on Oct. 1. The Vikings will need more of that mojo Friday against the Eagles, who have a 7-1-1 record on their home field this season.
 
And if the Vikings can beat the Eagles Friday, Sunday's match against the Vandals could be the first time the Vikings play a match as the Big Sky leaders since 2013.
 
MATCH INFO:
Friday, Oct. 13 – at Eastern Washington – 3 p.m. (PT) – Cheney, Wash. (EWU Soccer Field)
Sunday, Oct. 15 – at Idaho – 1 p.m. (PT) – Moscow, Idaho (Kibbie Dome)
 
LIVE STATS:
Live stats will be provided for both matches this weekend. Fans can find the link to live stats through the Portland State women's soccer schedule on GoViks.com.
 
LIVE VIDEO:
Live video for both matches this weekend will be streamed through Pluto TV. Fans can find the link to download the free Pluto TV app through the Portland State women's soccer schedule on GoViks.com.
 
SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON:
The Eastern Washington Eagles (10-4-1, 4-0-1 Big Sky) have won four straight matches since opening Big Sky play with a 0-0 home draw with Sacramento State. The Eagles followed that up with a pair of 4-0 wins at home over Northern Arizona and Southern Utah, and then swept North Dakota (2-1 win in overtime) and Northern Colorado (2-0) on the road last weekend.
 
The Eagles share two common non-conference opponents with the Vikings, as both teams faced Nevada and Gonzaga earlier this season. The Eagles beat the Wolf Pack 4-0 at home on Sept. 15, while the Vikings beat the Wolf Pack 1-0 at home in double overtime on Aug. 25. The Eagles also beat Gonzaga 2-1 at home on Sept. 8, while the Vikings lost 2-1 at home to the Bulldogs on Aug. 27.
 
The Eagles sport the best offense in the Big Sky Conference this season, as they lead the conference in shots, points, goals and assists. The Eagles lead the conference by wide margins in each offensive category, too, as they average 2.07 goals per game – more than half a goal more per game than the next-best team, which happens to be Portland State at 1.62. The Eagles also lead the Big Sky with 5.60 points per game, more than a full point better than second-place Portland State at 4.54.
 
Senior forward Chloe Williams – the 2015 and 2016 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year and three-time All-Big Sky first-team selection – leads the Eagles' attack with six goals and 13 points this season. Williams, who was selected to the USWNT U-23 Training Camp over the offseason, also holds the Big Sky career record for points with 95 in her Eagle career, and ranks one goal off the career record for goals with 38. Williams will tie Amanda Ellsworth of Idaho State (2011-14) with her next goal.
 
Besides Williams, the Eagles have two other players ranked in the top 10 of the Big Sky in goals scored this season in Jenny Chavez and Alexis Stephenson. The Eagles are the only team in the Big Sky with three different players ranked in the top 10 in goals scored, with Williams tied for third with six goals, Chavez tied for fifth with five goals, and Stephenson tied for eighth with four goals. The Eagles have four players tied for the team lead in assists in Aimie Inthoulay, Devan Talley, Savannah Hoekstra and Emma Vanderhyden, who all have three assists each this season.
 
The Eagles have also been one of the best teams in the Big Sky defensively during conference play. The Eagles have allowed only one goal to a Big Sky opponent, which came on the road last Friday against North Dakota. As a result, the Eagles lead the Big Sky in goals allowed (1), goals-against average (0.19) and shutouts (4) in Big Sky play. Senior goalkeeper Emily Busselman has started the Eagles' last six matches in goal for the Eagles, including all five of the team's Big Sky matches. Busselman has a 0.72 goals-against average and .781 save percentage for the season, and sports an 8-1-1 goalkeeper record.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VERSUS EASTERN WASHINGTON:
The Vikings lead their all-time series against Eastern Washington, 14-5-2. The Vikings lost in their last match in Cheney, Wash., however, as they lost 1-0 back in 2015. That match snapped a five-match winning streak for the Vikings against the Eagles, with the Vikings outscoring the Eagles 13-1 during that run. The Vikings were the only Big Sky team to shut out the Eagles last season, when they drew, 0-0, with the Eagles at home.
 
SCOUTING IDAHO:
The Idaho Vandals (5-7-2, 1-3-1 Big Sky) – the two-time defending Big Sky regular-season champions – have gotten off to a rocky start in Big Sky play. The Vandals lost 2-1 at home in overtime to Northern Arizona in their Big Sky opener, and then drew at home against Sacramento State, 0-0. The Vandals then lost a 3-1 road match to Southern Utah on Sept. 29, before dropping 1-0 match at Northern Colorado on Oct. 6. The Vandals finally broke through for a 2-1 win at North Dakota last Sunday for their first Big Sky win of the season.
 
The Vandals share two common non-conference opponents with the Vikings this season in Nevada and Seattle. The Vandals beat Nevada 6-0 at home on Sept. 17, while the Vikings beat the Wolf Pack 1-0 at home in double overtime on Aug. 25. Meanwhile, the Vandals lost 5-3 at home to Seattle on Sept. 4, while the Vikings lost 4-0 at home to Seattle on Sept. 17.
 
The Vandals returned only four starters from their 2016 team that won their second straight Big Sky regular-season title. The Vandals lost two-time All-Big Sky first-team selection Kavita Battan off last year's team, as well as All-Big Sky second-team selections Elexis Schlossarek, Clara Gomez and Emma Eddy. Those four represented the Vandals' top four goal scorers last season, and scored 26 of the team's 39 goals. Olivia Baggerly, Josilyn Daggs and Megan Goo represent the Vandals' top three returning point leaders, as they all finished with seven points last season.
 
Baggerly stands as one of four different players who rank tied for the team lead in goals scored with three each this season. Besides Baggerly, Bridget Daley, Kelly Dopke and Myah Merino have all scored three goals for the Vandals this season. Daley also ranks second to Morgan Crosby for the team lead in assists, with Crosby first on the team with four assists, while Daley ranks second with three assists.
 
The Vandals have struggled defensively at times this season, as they rank ninth in the Big Sky in goals-against average (1.52) and eighth in shutouts (4). Junior goalkeeper Makayla Presgrave, a transfer from the University of San Francisco, has started all 14 matches in goal for the Vandals, and ranks eighth in the Big Sky in goals-against average (1.52) and 10th in save percentage (.711).
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VERSUS IDAHO:
The Vandals lead the all-time series between them and the Vikings, 7-4-0. The Vikings have lost their last two matches to the Vandals, including their last match in Moscow, Idaho, back in 2015. The Vikings last beat the Vandals in 2014, when they won 3-1 at home in what was the teams' first Big Sky match against each other.
 
LAST TIME OUT:
The Vikings swept their matches against Northern Arizona and Sacramento State last weekend, vaulting them up to second in the Big Sky standings at 4-1-0. The Vikings opened the weekend with a 1-0 win over Northern Arizona, just the second time the Vikings had beaten the Lumberjacks since 2007. Katie Forsee scored the game-winning goal off a penalty kick in the 60th minute, while Abbie Faingold and the Viking defense picked up their fifth shutout of the season in the match. Both Forsee and Faingold came up big for the Vikings again in the team's match against Sacramento State Sunday, when the Vikings recorded a dramatic, 2-1 win over the Hornets. The Vikings trailed the Hornets 1-0 since the 44th minute until a highlight-reel goal from junior midfielder Morgan Matthews in the 71st minute kicked off a crazy eight-minute stretch in which the Vikings leveled the match on Matthews' goal, saw a SAC goal called back for offsides, saved a PK, and finally go ahead behind a goal from Forsee. Forsee's goal gave her a record-breaking ninth-career game-winning goal at Portland State, as well as a record-breaking fifth game-winner this season. Faingold, meanwhile, made her second PK save of the season against the Hornets, with both coming when the match was tied, and the Vikings have gone on to win both matches. To top it off, the Vikings' epic comeback Sunday came against head coach Katie Burton's alma mater in Sacramento State, and on her birthday.
 
FORSEE, FAINGOLD SWEEP BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS FOR VIKINGS:
Katie Forsee and Abbie Faingold swept the Big Sky Player of the Week honors for the Vikings on Tuesday, the second time the Vikings have swept the weekly honors from the conference this season. Forsee earned Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this season, while Faingold received Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career. The Vikings also swept the awards when Kasey Isobe and Maxine Nagramada were named Big Sky Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week on Sept. 12, after the Vikings' record-breaking 8-0 win over Chicago State. That marked the first time the Vikings had swept the awards since 2013, at the time.
 
UPCOMING:
The Vikings host North Dakota and Northern Colorado for their final home weekend of the regular season next week. The Vikings will face off against the Fighting Hawks at 1 p.m. (PT) Friday, Oct. 20, and then host Northern Colorado for Senior Day Sunday, Oct. 22, at 1 p.m. (PT).
 
ESPN DARLINGS:
Junior midfielder Morgan Matthews' 71st-minute equalizer against Sacramento State on Oct. 8 was named the No. 6 highlight on ESPN's Top 10 plays that night. It marked the second time the Vikings had made SportsCenter's Top 10 plays in the past two seasons, following Breanne Chilton-Eddy's golden goal against Weber State on Oct. 23, 2016, that was named the No. 4 highlight. Matthews' goal was also named to espnW's Top 10 plays of the Week at No. 10.
 
THE FORCE-E IS WITH THE VIKINGS:
Katie Forsee is in the midst of one of the best senior seasons in Portland State history. Forsee has already broken the Portland State career records for shots on goal (77) and game-winning goals (9), and remains on pace to break the career record for shots. Forsee's five game-winning goals this season also set a new Portland State single-season record, and stands just two behind the single-season Big Sky Conference record of seven that Haley Wingender set for Northern Arizona in 2014. Additionally, Forsee's five game-winning goals give her the Big Sky lead in the category, and rank her tied for fourth in the nation. Forsee also leads the Big Sky in points (19), goals (8), points per game (1.46) and goals per game (0.62). If the season ended today, Forsee would finish with the single-season records for points per game, goals per game, shots per game and shots on goal per game. Forsee is also on pace to break the single-season records for total shots and shots on goal, and could tie the record for goals in a season if she matches her same production level – six goals in nine matches – that she had during the first half of the season. Additionally, Forsee needs just 16 more shots in the Vikings' final five matches of the season to break the career record for shots, which Dolly Enneking set at 166 from 2006-09. Forsee also ranks in the top 10 all time at Portland State in points (3rd with 38), goals (3rd with 15) and minutes played (8th with 5,393).
 
MORE MOYER? YES PLEASE!:
Redshirt senior Kristin Moyer made her return to the Vikings' starting lineup two weeks ago for the team's match against Weber State on Sept. 29. Moyer had missed the team's previous four matches before that with an injury, but has only missed 12 minutes of play since her return. Moyer was on pace to break the Portland State career record for minutes played before her injury, and remains in contention for the record. Moyer currently ranks fifth with 5,743 minutes played, 481 minutes behind the current record Juli Edwards set at 6,224 from 2004-07. If Moyer plays every minute of the Vikings' remaining five matches during the regular season – and all five matches conclude in regulation – then Moyer will finish with 6,193 minutes played – 31 minutes below Edwards' record. A berth into the Big Sky tournament would make things easier for Moyer to set the record, however, and the redshirt senior will certainly be rooting for that regardless of the record or not.
 
STAY FAIN-GOLD, PONYBOY:
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Abbie Faingold has five shutouts in 13 matches this season, ranking her tied for second in the Big Sky in total shutouts, and fourth in shutouts per game (0.38). Faingold also ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 61 total saves, and ranks sixth in the conference with an average of 4.69 saves per game. Additionally, Faingold has moved into the career top 10s in four different categories at Portland State, as she ranks sixth in shutouts (10), seventh in goalkeeper wins (12) and eight in both saves (130) and goals-against average (1.64).
 
KATIE BURTON ERA:
The Katie Burton era opened for the Vikings with the team's match against cross-town rival and national powerhouse University of Portland on Aug. 18. Burton came to the Vikings after serving as the associate head coach at her alma mater Sacramento State, where she led a program turnaround in just over two years there. The Hornets hadn't made the Big Sky tournament in four seasons before Burton's arrival, but made the Big Sky tournament in their first year under Burton in 2015. Burton led the Hornets to a second-place finish last season, when they clinched the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the Big Sky tournament with a 2-1 win over the Vikings in both teams' regular-season finale.
 
NEWCOMERS:
The Vikings added 13 newcomers to their roster in 2017, including seven from Oregon. Additionally, the Vikings added two players from Washington, two players from Arizona, and a player each from California and Idaho. Of the 13 newcomers, 11 came into the season as freshman, while Tiegan Horton and Molly Joyce enter as junior and sophomore transfers, respectively. The 11 freshman for the Vikings are: Rilee Castilla, Megan Cornett, Paige Donathan, Liz Hansen, Mya Lopez, Tasi Poore, Teá Poore, Kendall Pope, Diamond Quinn, Ellie Vasey, Teri Walters.
 
2016 SEASON RECAP:
The Portland State Vikings came within a game of returning to the Big Sky tournament last season. The Vikings entered their regular-season finale against Sacramento State with the chance to clinch a spot in the tournament with a win, only to fall to the Hornets, 2-1. The season-ending loss put a damper on what had been a strong, and at times dramatic, push by the Vikings to make the tournament. The Vikings entered their final road weekend four points out of the sixth and final playoff spot, and had lost eight straight Big Sky road matches at that point. The Vikings pulled out a pair of 1-0 wins at Northern Colorado and North Dakota, however, giving them their first six-point conference road weekend since 2013. The true magic followed the following weekend when then-senior Breanne Chilton-Eddy scored a golden goal on her own Senior Day against Weber State on a magical shot that ESPN ran on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays that night. The Vikings also came back to beat the Wildcats after giving up the first goal – the first time they had done that since 2013.