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BOULDER, Colo. — The Portland State volleyball team got progressively better throughout its match against Colorado out of the Pac-12 Conference, but the Buffaloes closed out a sweep of the Vikings, 25-11, 25-16, 25-19, to open their home tournament, the Colorado Classic, Friday.
 
The Vikings (1-9) hit better in each set while playing better defense against the Buffaloes (6-3) in the second and third sets after Colorado hit .419 in the first set.
 
The Vikings played level with the Buffaloes for the first half of the second set, as back-to-back kills from seniors Jenna Mullen and Katy Wilson followed by a combo block from Wilson and sophomore Maddy Reeb made it 13-12 Colorado midway through the frame. The Buffaloes responded with five straight points to go up 18-12, however, and closed the second set on a 12-4 run to win it, 25-16.
 
The Vikings were even with the Buffaloes at 4-4 at the start of the third set, before a 15-1 Colorado run, punctuated by a PSU attack error, made it 19-5. Junior Toni McDougald snapped the hot start for the Buffaloes with a kill on the next point, and then teamed with Whitney Turner for a block to make it 19-7.
 
The Vikings went on an 8-1 run a few points later to make it 23-16, with Wilson contributing a kill and a solo block in the stretch. The Buffaloes finished off the Vikings a few points later, however, as a Brynna DeLuzio kill ended it at 25-19 in the third set.
 
McDougald led the Vikings with eight kills in the match, while Wilson and freshman Peyton McBride followed with five kills each. McBride also totaled a career-high 14 digs in the match to lead the Vikings.
 
Wilson tied a season high with two solo blocks in the match, and totaled six blocks with four block assists to go with her two solos. Reeb finished with 20 assists for the Vikings.
 
Colorado was the latest in a long line of quality opponents the Vikings have played during the non-conference season. The Buffaloes marked the fourth Pac-12 opponent the Vikings have faced out of 10 matches this season, as well as the third team that came into their match against the Vikings either ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Top-25 Coaches Poll. Additionally, the Buffs made the NCAA Sweet 16 last season, making them the third 2017 NCAA tournament team the Vikings have faced this season, as well as the fourth postseason team overall.
 
The Vikings face another NCAA tournament team in their next match at the Colorado Classic, as they take on Colorado State, which is also receiving votes in the AVCA Top-25 Coaches Poll, tomorrow at 12 p.m. (MT). Colorado State swept Indiana State in their first match of the tournament Friday.
 
Match Notes: The Vikings fall to 1-2 all time against Colorado with Friday's loss…The Vikings went 0-4 against Pac-12 teams this season after coming into the year with three straight wins against teams from the conference, a streak that was started with a five-set match against Colorado in 2016…The Vikings are now 5-40 all time against Pac-12 opponents since turning Division I in 1996, but 96-82-1 going back to the Vikings' Division II days…Junior transfer Timi Severson made her first-career start in the match.