Complete Match Notes (PDF)

FIRST SERVE
The phrase "turnaround is fair play" has never been more appropriate than it was Saturday, when the Portland State volleyball team beat the University of Portland, 3-1, on the Pilots' home court, two days after the Pilots did the same thing to the Vikings at Viking Pavilion.
 
Besides the taste of revenge Saturday's win gave the Vikings, however, the match also served as the most tangible measure of improvement for this young Viking team. Like a science experiment with a control subject, the Vikings got two results against the Pilots in a tight period, and showed dramatic improvement from one match to the next.
 
Thursday's match, while encouraging, left a few areas of improvement needed if the Vikings were going to fare better against the Pilots on Saturday. Head coach Michael Seemann stressed kill production, better defense against the UP hitters, and improved serve receive after Thursday, and Seemann's team responded, accomplishing all three in spades on Saturday.
 
The Vikings recorded 52 kills in Saturday's win over the Pilots, 12 more than they had in their match on Thursday. The Vikings also held the Pilots to .163 hitting in the match, two days after the Pilots went for .218. Additionally, the Pilots aced the Vikings seven times Saturday, still more than the Vikings would like but down from the 11 aces the Pilots recorded on Thursday.
 
Redshirt sophomore Parker Webb led the improved kill production for the Vikings, as she recorded a career-high 19 kills on .415 hitting in Saturday's match. Webb was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week following her career-best performance against the Pilots, and has now recorded 10-plus kills in five straight matches for the Vikings.
 
Freshman setter Caroline Dragani fed Webb and the other Viking attackers well throughout the match, recording her third double-double in the past five matches with 42 assists and a career-high 15 digs. Senior Toni McDougald and freshman Jasmine Powell also each had double-doubles on the outside for the Vikings, with McDougald totaling 12 kills and 12 digs while Powell finished with 11 kills and 10 digs.
 
All of the improvements leave the Vikings in good form heading into Big Sky play, as they open conference matches this weekend against Idaho and Eastern Washington.
 
The Vandals host the Vikings on Thursday, with both teams sporting similarly youthful rosters this season. The Vandals lost six starters from their 2018 team that tied Northern Arizona for the Big Sky regular-season title and advanced to the Big Sky championship match. The Vandals brought in six freshmen to replace those starters, and have eight sophomores to give them 14 underclassmen on their 17-player roster.
 
The Vikings and Vandals share a couple of common opponents with the Vikings, as both teams played CSUN and the University of Portland. Both teams lost, 3-2, to CSUN, while the Vikings split their two matches against UP whereas the Vandals lost, 3-0, to the Pilots on Sept. 6.
 
The Eagles, meanwhile, brought in 10 newcomers for their second year under head coach Leslie Flores-Cloud. The influx of newcomers come as Flores-Cloud continues to rebuild the Eagles' roster, after the Eagles went 8-22 overall and 0-18 in Big Sky play in their first year with her at the helm.
 
The Eagles come into this weekend having lost eight straight matches, after opening the season 2-2. The Eagles beat Cal Baptist, 3-2, to close their first tournament of the season, and then beat Milwaukee, 3-2, to open a tournament the following weekend.
 
The losses have hurt the Eagles statistically, though they still rank highly within the Big Sky for service aces per set. The Eagles rank fifth with 1.53 aces per set as a team, while two different players rank in the 10 of the Big Sky individually in Ana Paula Zandona (eighth, 0.34) and Ashlyn Blotzer (10th, 0.33).
 
The one extra element for the Vikings this weekend will be the tight turnaround between matches. The Vikings normally play a Thursday-Saturday schedule in Big Sky play, but will face Idaho and Eastern Washington on back-to-back days this weekend. The Vikings face the Vandals at 6 p.m. (PT) Thursday in Moscow, Idaho, before turning around against the Eagles at 7:05 p.m. (PT) Friday in Cheney, Wash.
 
MATCH NOTES: PORTLAND STATE (4-7) vs. IDAHO (4-8)
DETAILS: Thursday, Sept. 26, 6 p.m. (PT) in Moscow, Idaho (Memorial Gym)
SCOUTING IDAHO: The Idaho Vandals are similarly young as the Vikings, as they lost six starters off last year's team that tied Northern Arizona for the Big Sky regular-season title and advanced to the Big Sky championship match. The Vandals brought in six freshmen to replace those starters, and have eight sophomores to give them 14 underclassmen on their 17-player roster. The youth has led to some tough results early, as the Vandals went 1-2 at four straight tournaments to open the season. The Vandals share a couple of common opponents with the Vikings, as both teams played CSUN and the University of Portland. Both teams lost, 3-2, to CSUN, while the Vikings split their two matches against UP whereas the Vandals lost, 3-0, to the Pilots on Sept. 6. Statistically, the Vandals rank well within the Big Sky offensively – 4th in hitting percentage (.234), sixth in kills per set (11.63) – but rank 10th out of 11 teams in opponent hitting percentage (.227). Opponents have hit well against the Vandals even as the team ranks second in the Big Sky with 2.58 blocks per set. Individually, Kennedy Warren leads the Vandals and ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 3.12 kills per set, while Kyra Palmbush (.379) and Nicole Ball (.357) rank fourth and fifth in the Big Sky, respectively, in hitting percentage. Ball also ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 1.18 blocks per set. Defensively, senior Delaney Hopen – the team's one returning starter from last season – leads the Vandals with 3.27 digs per set.
ALL-TIME SERIES:The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Vandals, 16-6, though the Big Sky series is split down the middle at 3-3. The Vandals won both of their matches against the Vikings last season, winning 3-0 in Moscow and 3-1 in Portland.
 
MATCH NOTES: PORTLAND STATE (4-7) vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON (2-10)
DETAILS: Friday, Sept. 27, 7:05 p.m. (PT) in Cheney, Wash. (Reese Court)
SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eastern Washington Eagles brought in 10 newcomers for their second year under head coach Leslie Flores-Cloud. The Eagles went 8-22 overall and 0-18 in Big Sky play in their first year under Flores-Cloud last season. The Eagles come into this weekend having lost eight straight matches, after opening the season 2-2. The Eagles beat Cal Baptist, 3-2, to close their first tournament of the season, and then beat Milwaukee, 3-2, to open a tournament the following weekend. The Eagles did take North Dakota to five sets before losing at UND's home gym on Sept. 19. Statistically, the Eagles rank last in the Big Sky in hitting percentage (.116), and rank second to last in assists per set (9.38) and kills per set (10.07). The Eagles' biggest strength so far has been their serving, as they rank fifth in the conference with 1.53 service aces per set. Two different Eagles players rank in the top 10 of the Big Sky for aces per set, as Ana Paula Zandona and Ashlyn Blotzer rank eighth and 10th, respectively, with averages of 0.34 and 0.33 aces per set. Puaoolelagi Sao also ranks third in the Big Sky with 4.49 digs per set, while the Eagles rank seventh as a team with 14.73 digs per set. Caitlyn Linke led the Eagles with 3.08 kills per set on the opening weekend of play, but hasn't played since the team's win over Cal Baptist on Aug. 31. Besides her, Nicoletta Capizzi leads the team with 1.87 kills per set, while Ehu Keala ranks right behind her at 1.86. 
ALL-TIME SERIES:The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Eagles, 30-27, though the Eagles lead the Big Sky series, 24-18. The Vikings have owned the series of late, as they've won 16 of their last 17 matches against the Eagles. The Vikings won both matches last year, as they beat the Eagles 3-2 on the road and then 3-1 at home.
 
STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS
• The Vikings split their home-and-home series against the University of Portland last weekend, with each team beating the other, 3-1, on the opposing team's home court.
• Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Parker Webb was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career following her performances against UP last week. Webb led the Vikings to their 3-1 road win over the Pilots on Saturday while posting a career-high 19 kills on .415 hitting. Webb was also a dig away from a double-double with 10 kills and nine digs in the Vikings' 3-1 home loss to the Pilots on Thursday. Webb has recorded 10 or more kills in five straight matches, as well as eight out of 11 matches overall this season.
• Senior outside hitter Toni McDougald has gone into double figures for kills in three straight matches, as well as four of the last five. Additionally, McDougald has two double-doubles in the Vikings' last three matches, including one last Saturday in the Vikings' 3-1 win over the Pilots. McDougald had 12 kills and 12 digs in that match, as well as four total blocks.
• Freshman outside hitter Jasmine Powell has five double-doubles in the Vikings' 11 matches so far this season, including three in the Vikings' last five matches. Powell set a career-high with 21 kills to go with 14 digs in the Vikings' five-set win over Morgan State on Sept. 13, and then followed a day later with a career-high 18 digs to go with 12 kills in the team's five-set loss to CSUN. Powell then recorded her fifth double-double in the Vikings' 3-1 win over the Pilots Saturday, posting 11 kills and 10 digs. Powell was also a dig away from a double-double in the Vikings' match against the Pilots on Thursday.
• Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Jordan White leads the Big Sky with 1.83 blocks per set. White, who sat five straight matches with an injury, has recorded seven or more blocks since making her return from the injury in the Vikings' five-set loss to CSUN. White had a career-high 11 blocks (3 solo, 8 assists) in the Vikings' match against CSUN.
• The Vikings, as a team, have recorded 10 or more blocks in four of their past five matches, including 15 in the Vikings' match against the Pilots on Thursday. The Vikings had eight blocks alone in the second set of their match against the Pilots last Thursday. The Vikings rank third in the Big Sky and 55th in the nation with 2.40 blocks per set.
• Freshman libero Ellie Snook ranks second in the Big Sky with 4.67 digs per set. Snook has gone into double figures for digs in all but one match this season, and has recorded 20-plus digs in five matches, including three of the last five. Snook recorded a career-high 30 digs in the Vikings' five-set loss to CSUN on Sept. 14, the most by a Viking freshman in at least 10 years.
• After splitting time at the beginning of the season, freshman setter Caroline Dragani has started the Vikings' last five matches for the Vikings. Dragani has recorded three double-doubles in the team's past five matches, including a career-best performance against the Pilots on Saturday. Dragani recorded 42 assists and a career-high 15 digs against the Pilots, while leading the Vikings to a .283 hitting performance.
 
THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN OF PARKER WEBB
Redshirt sophomore Parker Webb, forced to sit out all but the first three weeks of last season due to injury, has been on a tear over the past two weeks of the season. In the five matches since the Vikings began their home tournament on Sept. 13, Webb has recorded double-digit kills in all five matches, including a career-best 19 kills on .415 hitting in the Vikings' 3-1 win over the University of Portland Saturday. Webb also has two double-doubles in that stretch of five matches, and was a dig or two away from another two. Webb was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week for the first time following her performance against UP, and has moved into the Big Sky top 10 for kills per set (10th, 2.86) and points per set (9th, 3.37). Webb is also averaging a career-best 2.14 digs per set this season.
 
QUESTION MARK TURNING INTO A STRENGTH FOR VIKINGS AT THE NET
With no returners back at middle blocker, the Vikings' presence at the net was a major question mark going into the 2019 season. However, that question mark has turned into a strength as redshirt sophomore Jordan White has led a young blocking crew for the Vikings. White, who returned from an injury that kept her out for five matches earlier in the season, has seven or more blocks in the past three matches. As a team, the Vikings have 10 or more blocks in four of their past five matches, including 27 combined between their two matches against the University of Portland last week. White's performance has her leading the Big Sky with 1.83 blocks per set, while freshman middle blocker Riley Daniel ranks 10th with 1.04 blocks per set. As a team, the Vikings rank third in the Big Sky and 55th in the nation with 2.40 blocks per set.
 
TONI MCDOUGALD, SHEEEEEEE'S GREAT!
Senior outside hitter Toni McDougald has been on her own hot streak on the outside, as she's recorded 10 or more kills in four of the past five matches, including double-doubles in two of the past three. McDougald recorded a double-double of 12 kills and 12 digs in the Vikings' 3-1 win over the Pilots Saturday, and also had 13 kills and 12 digs in the Vikings' five-set match against CSUN. Additionally, McDougald led the Vikings with a season-high 18 kills while hitting .410 in the team's five-set win over Morgan State on Sept. 13. For the season, McDougald is averaging 2.63 kills and 2.19 digs per set for the Vikings. Her 2.19 digs per set average is a career-best mark by a wide margin, as her previous best came last season, when she averaged 1.23 digs per set.
 
POWELL'S A GOOD NAME IN PORTLAND
Freshman outside hitter Jasmine Powell has stepped right in as a six-rotation player for the Vikings, and has recorded five double-doubles in her first 11 collegiate matches. Powell has three double-doubles in the Vikings' past five matches, and was a dig away from a fourth double-double in that stretch. Powell had two double-doubles at the Les Schwab Rose City Showdown, the Vikings' home tournament where she was named to All-Tournament Team afterwards. Powell opened the tournament with 21 kills and 14 digs while hitting .373 in the Vikings' five-set win over Morgan State, giving her the most kills by a Viking freshman in a match since Eva Linden had 21 kills against Montana State on Oct. 24, 2015. Powell followed up with 12 kills and a career-high 18 digs against CSUN the next day, and then added her fifth double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs in the Vikings' 3-1 win over the University of Portland on Saturday.
 
WE'RE ON THE HOOK FOR ELLIE SNOOK
Freshman libero Ellie Snook moved up to second in the Big Sky in digs per set with another strong weekend of play against the University of Portland. Snook was an assist away from a double-double while posting a career-high nine assists to go with 23 digs in the Vikings' 3-1 win over the Pilots on Saturday. Additionally, her 23 digs marked the fifth time out of 11 matches this season that Snook has posted 20 or more digs in a match. Snook recorded a career-high 30 digs in the Vikings' five-set loss to CSUN on Sept. 14, the most digs by a Viking freshman in at least 10 years. Neither Kasi Clark nor Tasha Bojanic – the Vikings' only two players to be named Big Sky Libero of the Year – had as many kills as Snook when they were a freshman.
 
SETTLING IN ON A SETTER
Freshman Caroline Dragani has started the Vikings' last five matches as she's emerged as the Vikings' full-time setter after splitting time with senior Mary Jo McBride earlier in the season. Dragani has three double-doubles in the Vikings' last five matches, including a career-best performance in the Vikings' 3-1 win over the University of Portland on Saturday. Dragani recorded 42 assists – a high for her in a four-set match – while setting a new career high with 15 digs in the match. Additionally, Dragani led the Vikings to a .283 hitting performance in the match, the Vikings' second-highest mark this season and highest in a four-set match. Dragani also had a career-high 49 assists to go with 12 digs in the Vikings' five-set win over Morgan State on Sept. 13. 
 
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	208	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	208	Volleyball	2007-Present