Complete Match Notes (PDF)

FIRST SERVE
One week later, and the Portland State volleyball team finds itself in a similar position as before. Last Tuesday, the Vikings sat in a group of seven teams that ranked within two matches of each other in middle of the Big Sky standings. This Tuesday, that group stands at six teams with still only two matches separating them and eight matches remaining in Big Sky play to sort it out.
 
The good news is that the Vikings have moved into qualifying position for the Big Sky tournament thanks to their 3-1 win over Montana State last Thursday. The Vikings moved ahead of Idaho State off that win, and now sit tied with Southern Utah for seventh in the Big Sky standings at 4-6. The top eight teams in the Big Sky at the end of the regular season qualify for the tournament, which takes place Nov. 28-30 in Sacramento, Calif.
 
If the Vikings can finish strong at home, then they should qualify for the tournament after missing it last season. Five of the Vikings' last eight matches come at Viking Pavilion, where the Vikings are 3-1 in Big Sky play so far this season.
 
Thursday's win over Montana State came at home, and was one of the Vikings' best matches of the season. The Viking offense recorded a new season high for kills in a four-set match with 54 against the Bobcats. Additionally, the Viking defense held the Bobcats to .143 hitting, the lowest average by a Viking opponent since Portland State held Eastern Washington to .137 hitting on Sept. 27.
 
The Eagles make their return trip to Viking Pavilion Thursday, after the Vikings swept them on the road last month. The Eagles have been playing better of late, as they are 2-2 over their last four matches after starting Big Sky play 0-6. The Eagles beat Southern Utah 3-2 in Cheney, Wash., on Oct. 17, while the Eagles swept Idaho State on the road last Thursday – their first win over the Bengals in Pocatello since 2011.
 
The Eagles' offense has turned around a bit in those recent matches, as they hit .282 against Idaho on Oct. 8, and .326 in their win over Southern Utah. Those marks raised the Eagles' averages for the season, though the Eagles still rank last in the Big Sky in hitting percentage (.132), and second-to-last in kills per set (10.71) and assists per set (9.89).
 
Five different players average 1.75 kills per set or more for the Eagles, led by Ashlyn Blotzer with 2.19 kills per set. Blotzer led the Eagles with 17 kills in their win over Southern Utah, and tied Makenna Davis for the team lead with 12 kills against Idaho State. Davis ranks second to Blotzer with 1.97 kills per set, and has recorded 10 or more kills in five of the Eagles' past six matches.
 
Saturday's match against the Vandals pits the Vikings against one of the top two teams in the conference, with the Vandals currently second in the Big Sky at 7-3 in conference play. The Vandals have won three of their last four, with the only loss in that stretch coming in five sets on the road against Weber State.
 
The Vandals swept the Vikings in both teams' Big Sky opener back on Sept. 26. The Vikings held late leads in the first and second sets of that match, but the Vandals came back to win both before running away from the Vikings in the third.
 
The Vandals out-blocked the Vikings 10-to-7 in that match, just as they've done to most of their opponents this season. The Vandals lead the Big Sky with 2.78 blocks per set in all matches this season, and average 3.01 blocks per set in Big Sky matches. Kyra Palmbush and Nicole Ball lead the Vandals individually, as they rank third and fifth with 1.19 and 1.15 blocks per set, respectively.
 
Palmbush and Ball are also two of the Vandals' better offensive threats, as Ball ranks second in the Big Sky with a .338 hitting percentage, while Palmbush stands third at .336. The pair are also two of six players who average 1.75 kills per set or more for the Vandals. Kennedy Warren leads that group while ranking fifth in the Big Sky with 3.24 kills per set. Avery Housley ranks second to Warren with 2.71 kills per set, while Emily Smith ranks third with 2.13.
 
Thursday's match against Eastern Washington is presented by Les Schwab, while Saturday's match against the Vandals comes after the Portland State football team hosts Montana at Hillsboro Stadium. Both matches start at 7 p.m. (PT).
 
MATCH NOTES: PORTLAND STATE (8-13, 4-6) vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON (4-18, 2-8)
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
DETAILS: Thursday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m. (PT) in Portland, Ore. (Viking Pavilion)
SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eastern Washington Eagles come into the weekend playing some of their best volleyball of the season. The Eagles lost their first six Big Sky matches – four in straight sets – but have won two of their last four, including a 3-2 win over a Southern Utah team that ranks tied with the Vikings for seventh in the conference. That win came in Cheney on Oct. 17, while the Eagles swept Idaho State on the road last Thursday, their first win over the Bengals in Pocatello since 2011. The Vikings swept the Eagles in Cheney on Sept. 27 in their first match against each other this season. The Vikings forced the Eagles into 23 attack errors in that match, and outhit the Eagles .219-to.137. The Eagles' offense has turned around a bit in recent matches, as they hit .282 against Idaho on Oct. 8, and .326 in their win over Southern Utah. However, even with those matches, the Eagles still rank last in the Big Sky in hitting percentage (.132), and second-to-last in kills per set (10.71) and assists per set (9.89). Defensively, the Eagles rank 10th in the Big Sky in opponent hitting percentage (.231) and blocks per set (1.51), and seventh in the conference with 15.20 digs per set. Individually, five different players average 1.75 kills per set or more, led by Ashlyn Blotzer with 2.19 kills per set. Blotzer led the Eagles with 17 kills in their win over Southern Utah, and tied Makenna Davis for the team lead with 12 kills against Idaho State. Davis ranks second to Blotzer with 1.97 kills per set, and has recorded 10 or more kills in five of the Eagles' past six matches. Two Eagles also average more than 3.75 digs per set in Catelyn Linke (4.23) and Puaoolelagi Sao (3.79).
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Eagles, 31-27, though the Eagles lead the Big Sky series, 24-19. The Vikings have owned the series of late, as they've won five in a row against the Eagles and 17 of the last 18 matches. The Vikings have a nine-match winning streak at home against the Eagles, having not lost to Eastern Washington in Portland since Nov. 15, 2008.
 
MATCH NOTES: PORTLAND STATE (8-13, 4-6) vs. IDAHO (11-11, 7-3)
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
DETAILS: Saturday, Nov. 2, 7 p.m. (PT) in Portland, Ore. (Viking Pavilion)
SCOUTING IDAHO: The Idaho Vandals head into the weekend second in the Big Sky at 7-3 in conference play. The Vandals have won three of their last four, with the only loss in that stretch coming in five sets on the road against Weber State. The Vandals swept the Vikings in both teams' Big Sky opener back on Sept. 26. The Vikings held late leads in the first and second sets of that match, but the Vandals came back to win both before running away from the Vikings in the third. The Vandals out-blocked the Vikings 10-to-7 in that match, just as they've done to most of their opponent this season. The Vandals lead the Big Sky with 2.78 blocks per set in all matches this season, and average 3.01 blocks per set in Big Sky matches. Kyra Palmbush and Nicole Ball lead the Vandals individually, as they rank third and fifth with 1.19 and 1.15 blocks per set, respectively. Palmbush and Ball are also two of the Vandals' better offensive threats, as Ball ranks second in the Big Sky with a .338 hitting percentage, while Palmbush stands third at .336. The pair are also two of six players who average 1.75 kills per set or more for the Vandals. Kennedy Warren leads that group while ranking fifth in the Big Sky with 3.24 kills per set. Avery Housley ranks second to Warren with 2.71 kills per set, while Emily Smith ranks third with 2.13. Delaney Hopen, meanwhile, ranks seventh in the Big Sky with 4.07 digs per set to lead the Vandals. Donnée Janzen and Hailey Pelton have split time at setter for the Vandals, with the pair averaging 9.44 and 6.41 assists per set, respectively.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Vandals, 16-7, though the Vandals lead the Big Sky series, 4-3. The Vandals have won the last three in a row in the series, including a 3-0 sweep in Moscow on Sept. 26 earlier this season. The Vikings' last win in the series came via a 3-0 road sweep on Oct. 21, 2017.
 
STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS
• The Vikings split their weekend series against Montana State and Montana, beating the Bobcats 3-1 at home on Thursday before losing by the same score on the road against the Grizzlies.
• The Vikings are 3-1 at home in Big Sky play, but just 1-5 on the road after last weekend.
• The Vikings have played six five-set matches already this season, more than they've had in any season since playing six in 2012. The school record for five-set matches came in 2010, when the Vikings played 11 five-setters.
• Freshman libero Ellie Snook upped her digs per set average to 5.44 after recording 24 and 27 digs against Montana State and Montana, respectively, last weekend. Snook stands as the top-ranked freshman in the nation in digs per set, while also ranking second in the Big Sky and 13th in the nation overall. Additionally, Snook's average would break the Big Sky-era single-season school record if the season ended today. Kasimira Clark set the current school record with an average of 5.38 digs per set in 2012.
• The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 29th in the nation with 16.93 digs per set as a team. The Vikings have gone into triple figures in two different matches this season, recording 105 digs against Idaho State on Oct. 12, and 100 digs against Southern Utah on Oct. 5. Before this season, the Vikings hadn't recorded 100 or more digs in a match since Oct. 29, 2016.
• Senior outside hitter Toni McDougald ranks sixth in the Big Sky with 3.54 kills per set in conference matches, and ranks eighth overall with 3.05 kills per set in all matches this season. McDougald has recorded 10 or more kills in 11 of the Vikings' past 13 matches, and have seven double-doubles this season.
• Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Parker Webb has five double-doubles in the Vikings' past eight matches, and has recorded 10 or more kills in 11 of the Vikings' past 15 matches. Webb ranks second to McDougald with 2.88 kills per set, and ranks fourth on the team with 2.29 digs per set.
• Freshman Caroline Dragani has started the Vikings' past three matches at setter, after senior Mary Jo McBride started the Vikings' match against Sacramento State on Oct. 15. Dragani led the Vikings to one of their best offensive performances of the season against Montana State Thursday, when they set season highs for kills in a four-set match with 54. Dragani recorded 44 assists and a career-high 16 digs against the Bobcats Thursday, and then nearly followed with another double-double with 33 assists and nine digs against Montana Saturday.
• Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Jordan White leads the Big Sky and ranks 26th in the nation with 1.33 blocks per set. That average would rank as the fourth-best single-season average during the program's Big Sky era if the season ended today. White did not play in the Vikings' match against Montana on Saturday.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
The Vikings are 3-1 in Big Sky play at home this season, including a pair of five-set wins over Northern Arizona and Southern Utah on Oct. 3 and 5, respectively. Besides those wins, the Vikings beat Montana State at home Thursday while recording a new season high for kills in a four-set match with 54. The Vikings' only loss at home in Big Sky play so far came against the league leaders in Northern Colorado on Oct. 19.
 
FIT FOR FIVE
The Vikings have played six five-set matches so far this season, and are 3-3 when the match goes the distance. The Vikings haven't played that many five-setters since 2012, when they also played six. The Vikings played seven five-setters in 2011, and set the school record for five-set matches with 11 in 2010.
 
WE'RE ON THE HOOK FOR ELLIE SNOOK
Freshman libero Ellie Snook set a new career high for digs in a four-set match in back-to-back matches last weekend, recording 24 against Montana State Thursday and then 27 against Montana Saturday. That raised Snook's season average to 5.44 digs per set, making her the top-ranked freshman in the nation in the category as well as 13th overall and second in the Big Sky. Additionally, Snook's 5.44 digs per set would break the single-season school record during the program's Big Sky era if the season ended today. Kasimira Clark set the current school record with an average of 5.38 digs per set in 2012. Clark's and Snook's names are already next to each other in the PSU record books, after Snook recorded the most digs in a match since Clark, when she had 39 against Southern Utah on Oct. 5. That was the third-most digs ever by a Viking in a match, behind only Clark's 41 digs against Sacramento State on Sept. 15, 2012, and Sarah Sirianni's 43 digs against Idaho State on Sept. 22, 2005.
 
DEFENSE RETURNING TO PARK BLOCKS
Typically a strength under head coach Michael Seemann, the Viking defense has made a return to the Park Blocks after a down year in 2018. The Vikings recorded 105 digs as a team against Idaho State on Oct. 12, the second time this season they've gone into triple figures for digs after not having done so since Oct. 29, 2016. The Vikings lead the Big Sky with an average of 16.93 digs per set as a team, an average that also ranks them 29th in the nation. Additionally, the Vikings rank fourth in the Big Sky in blocks per set (2.17), as well as sixth in opponent hitting percentage (.197).
 
TONI MCDOUGALD, SHEEEEEEE'S GREAT!
Senior outside hitter Toni McDougald has been on a tear in Big Sky play, ranking sixth in the conference with 3.54 kills per set against conference opponents. McDougald has recorded 15 or more kills in three of the Vikings' past five matches, and has 10 or more kills in 11 of the Vikings' past 13 matches. It's not surprising, then, that McDougald is posting career-best averages for kills per set (3.05 in all matches) and digs per set (2.30) as a senior. McDougald's passing has been the biggest jump as a senior, as her 2.30 digs per set are more than a full dig higher than her previous best average in a season for Portland State. McDougald's previous best came as a junior, when she averaged 1.23 digs per set for the Vikings.
 
PETER PARKER, PARKER WEBB, THERE'S A SPIDER-MAN JOKE IN THERE SOMEWHERE
Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Parker Webb has five double-doubles in the Vikings' past seven matches, and has recorded 10 or more kills in all but seven matches this season. Webb has been even better in defense recently, as she's recorded 10 or more digs in eight of the past 11 matches. Webb recorded a career-high 18 digs in the Vikings' 3-1 win over Montana State Thursday, while also adding 15 kills on .300 hitting in the match. Overall, Webb ranks second to Toni McDougald on the team with 2.88 kills per set while also ranking fourth on the team with 2.29 digs per set.
 
CAROLINE DRAGANI, FIERCE AS DAENERYS' DROGON
Freshman Caroline Dragani led the Viking offense to one of their best matches of the season Thursday in their 3-1 win over Montana State. The Vikings recorded a season high for kills in a four-set match with 54 against the Bobcats, while the team hit .211 for its best hitting percentage since Sept. 27, when the Vikings hit .219 against Eastern Washington. Dragani recorded 44 assists and a career-high 16 digs against the Bobcats, with her 44 assists marking a new career high for her in a four-set match. Dragani now has six double-doubles this season, and was a dig away from a seventh with 33 assists and nine digs against Montana Saturday. For the season, Dragani ranks seventh in the Big Sky with 8.17 assists per set.
 
POWELL'S A GOOD NAME IN PORTLAND
Freshman outside hitter Jasmine Powell has shown flashes of brilliance in her first year playing collegiate volleyball. Powell nearly had two 20-20 matches against Northern Arizona and Southern Utah on Oct. 3 and Oct. 5, respectively. Powell totaled 19 kills and 26 digs against Northern Arizona, then followed with 18 kills and 24 digs against Southern Utah. Powell's 26 digs against NAU marked the most digs by an outside hitter since Megan Ellis and Cheyne Corrado had 30 and 27 digs, respectively, against UC Irvine on Sept. 10, 2011. For the season, Powell ranks tied for the team lead with seven double-doubles, while she also ranks third on the team in kills per set (2.51) and second in digs per set (2.96).
 
JORDAN WHITE'S BLOCK PARTY
Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Jordan White leads the Big Sky and ranks 26th in the nation with 1.33 blocks per set. That average would rank as the fourth-best single-season average during the program's Big Sky era if the season ended today. Michelle Segun set the single-season record with 1.71 blocks per set during the 2007 season, while Erica Jepsen and Katie O'Brien rank second and third with 1.50 and 1.35 blocks per set in 2009 and 2011, respectively. White's emergence at the net has been a welcomed addition for the Vikings, who didn't have a single returner at the middle blocker position coming into the season. White, who transferred to the Vikings from Western Michigan, has led that group from the start, and the Vikings now rank fourth in the Big Sky and 103rd in the nation with 2.17 blocks per set. 
 
SEVEN FRESHMEN, EIGHT NEWCOMERS
The Vikings may face some growing pains early in the season, as they try to integrate eight newcomers to the team, including seven freshmen. The Vikings returned only four letterwinners from their 2018 team, including only two starters in senior outside hitter Toni McDougald and junior setter Maddy Reeb. Senior setter Mary Jo McBride and redshirt sophomore outside hitter Parker Webb also returned. Because of that, the Vikings will use youth at every position during the season, especially at libero, where the Vikings are guaranteed to start a first-year player in either Ellie Snook or Kylie Komo. The Vikings also have nothing but newcomers at middle blocker, while freshman Caroline Dragani started the Vikings' first three matches of the season at setter.
 
MICHAEL SEEMANN IN 200-WIN CLUB
Portland State head coach Michael Seemann earned his 200th career win at Portland State in the Vikings' season opener last season. With the win, Seemann became the third coach in the history of the Viking volleyball program to reach 200 wins, joining Marlene Piper (445 wins; 1969-72 & 1974-83) and Jeff Mozzochi (371 wins; 1984-92 & 2001-06). Teri Mariani, who coached the Viking softball team from 1977-2005, owns the most wins of any Viking head coach with 663 victories in her tenure. Two baseball coaches – Jack Dunn (1975-94) and Roy Love (1962-74) – also reached the 200-win plateau with 630 and 257 wins, respectively.
 
 

Most Coaching Wins at Portland State (All Sports)
Coach	Wins	Sport	Years
Teri Mariani	663	Softball	1977-2005
Jack Dunn	630	Baseball	1975-94
Marlene Piper	445	Volleyball	1969-72, 1974-83
Jeff Mozzochi	371	Volleyball	1984-92, 2001-06
Roy Love	257	Baseball	1962-74
Michael Seemann	212	Volleyball	2007-Present

 











  

Most Coaching Wins at Portland State (Volleyball)
Coach	Wins	Sport	Years
Marlene Piper	445	Volleyball	1969-72, 1974-83
Jeff Mozzochi	371	Volleyball	1984-92, 2001-06
Michael Seemann	212	Volleyball	2007-Present