PORTLAND – With the non-conference season behind them, the Vikings turn their attention to Big Sky Conference play as the Portland State women's soccer team travels to Idaho State and Weber State to end its six-match road stint.
 
The Vikings are coming off their first win of the season after defeating Pacific (Calif.) 1-0 in the final non-conference match.
 
Holding a 1-8-0 overall record heading into league play, PSU played up for a majority of the matches so far, taking on two Pac-12 and three Mountain West Conference opponents. Four of the losses have been decided by only one goal as the Vikings have put up a strong fight all season.
 
OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT:
Offensively, Portland State has seen much improvement over the last few weeks, tallying 10-plus shots in each of its last five matches. Recording 76 total shots so far, 32 have landed on goal for a SOG percentage of .421.
 
Three Vikings have now recorded a goal this season with Regan Russell notching her first goal on the season, scoring the game-winner over Pacific, last weekend. Sienna Higinbotham and Rilee Castilla are both tied with two goals while Higinbotham leads with five points. All five of PSU's goals this season have come off assists with five different Viking players recording one.
 
Castilla leads the squad in total shots with 14 while Russell leads in shots on goal with eight.
 
BIG SKY RECOGNITION:
Freshman keeper Enya Hernandez has made an immediate impact in her first season with the Vikings. Against Pacific, she collected six saves and earned her first career shutout and was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Hernandez currently sits with 45 saves which ranks second overall in the Big Sky. Her average of five saves per match is tied for the third-highest average in the league. Hernandez is also the sixth-ranked freshman in total saves in the nation and ranks 39th overall in all of Division I.
 
RETURNING TO THE STARTING LINEUP:
After both missing the first game of the season due to injury, Paige Donathan and Sofi Papastamos have returned as regulars in the rotation, gaining more minutes each week. Against Pacific, they both made their first start of the season, something that could continue to happen as the year goes on.
 
YOUTH IN THE ROTATION:
Youth can be a disadvantage for some teams but for the Vikings, their youth has been some of the team's highest producers on the field. Five different freshmen have recorded a start this season with Higinbotham and Hernandez leading the way.
 
MATCH COVERAGE:
Live stats and video will be available for both matches and link can be found at goviks.com. Follow along on Twitter as well at @psuvikswsoc and @psuviks.
 
SCOUTING IDAHO STATE:
-The Bengals enter the weekend with an overall record of 1-8-1 and are currently on a three-match losing streak.
-ISU has been outscored 15-4 in its last five matches combined.
-Idaho State's lone win came in a 2-1 result against Saint Mary's College, a team Portland State lost to 1-0 on the road.
-The Vikings and Bengals share one other opponent this season in Boise State, a match Idaho State lost 1-0 at home while PSU lost 2-0 on the road.
-Idaho State has slipped up against some of its lower opponents, going 0-1-1 against Division II schools, losing 4-3 against Westminster and tying Dixie State 1-1.
-The Bengals have given up the second most goals in the league with 23 goals so far. On the other side of the field, their six goals rank sixth in the Big Sky, one spot ahead of the Vikings.
-ISU's Makena Bambei holds the third most shots in the conference with 22 while keeper Katie Hogarth leads the BSC with 69 saves in 10 matches.
-According to the Big Sky preseason coaches' poll, the Bengals were selected to finish last, receiving 12 total votes.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. IDAHO STATE
Portland State has dominated the Bengals in recent years and leads the all-time series 12-9-1. The Vikings have won 11 of the last 13 meetings between these two teams and are currently on a two match win streak.
 
SCOUTING WEBER STATE:
-Originally slated to finish second overall in the Big Sky Conference, Weber State enters the weekend with a record of 1-7-0.
-The Wildcats' preseason schedule hasn't been an easy one, playing three Pac-12 teams in California, Arizona, and Arizona State all back-to-back. They also faced four straight Mountain West Conference teams to end non-conference.
-Weber State's only win so far this season came against Nevada, a 1-0 result on the road.
-The Wildcats and Vikings have two opponents in common as both teams faced Boise State and Fresno State. WSU fell to Boise State 3-0 and Fresno State 2-0 while PSU lost 2-0 and 2-1 respectively.
-Weber St. ranks fourth in the Big Sky in saves with 44 but has struggled offensively, ranking ninth in shots with 43 and ninth in goals with two.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. WEBER STATE:
The Vikings trail in the all-time series against Weber St. 10-11-4. PSU has lost two straight matches against the Wildcats with the last win coming during the 2016 season, a 2-1 win in overtime.