Box Score (PDF)

OREM, Utah — The error bug bit a short-handed Portland State volleyball team Friday, as Utah Valley came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Vikings 3-2 (20-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-16, 15-6) in both teams' first match of the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Invitational at Lockhart Arena.
 
Utah Valley (1-4) had the error bug early in the match, as they were hitting just .022 with 21 errors against 23 attacks in the first two sets of the match. Utah Valley picked up its performance after that, however, hitting .303 over the final three sets while the Vikings' average fell to .044 over the same stretch.
 
The Vikings (2-2) forced the Wolverines into 14 attack errors in the first set of the match, as Portland State got out to an early lead with a 25-20 victory in the opening frame. Only two of the Vikings' first 13 points in the match came on kills, as Utah Valley had 10 attack errors in the opening part of the set.
 
It was the reverse early in the second set, as the Vikings committed six errors while only recording three kills as Utah Valley took an early 12-7 lead. The Wolverines still led by five at 18-13, when the Vikings finally got things going back in a positive direction.
 
A 5-1 run tied up the second set at 19-19, with freshmen Julia Haynie and Jasmine Powell combining for a block and then recording a kill and a service ace, respectively, in the run. Utah Valley inched ahead again at 21-20, but the Vikings scored the final five points to take a 2-0 lead in the match. Senior setter Mary Jo McBride recorded a kill and two service aces as part of the 5-0 run to close out the second set.
 
Utah Valley found a new gear after that, however, as they hit .279 and .353 in the third and fourth sets, respectively, to level the match. The Vikings got in their own way in the fifth set, committing eight attack errors before recording a kill in the decisive set.
 
The Vikings were without starting middle blocker Jordan White, who had a strong opening weekend of the season last week in Saint Louis. The Vikings didn't miss White too much early, recording four blocks in their first 11 points of the first set, but then only recorded three blocks the rest of the way.
 
Senior outside hitter Toni McDougald was a bright spot for the Vikings, as she recorded her first double-double of the season with a match-high 16 kills to go with 14 digs. Powell also recorded a double-double – her second of the season – with 12 kills and 14 digs, while McBride recorded 32 assists and 11 digs for her first-career double-double as a Viking. Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Parker Webb also went into double figures for digs with 16 in the match.
 
Freshman Ellie Snook recorded 20+ digs for the second straight match, as she led the Vikings with 22 digs against the Wolverines. Fourteen of Snook's 22 digs came in the first two sets, as she helped the Vikings force Utah Valley into its poor hitting performance in the first two sets.
 
Freshman Riley Daniel got the start in place of White at middle blocker, and ended up leading the Vikings with six block assists in the match.
 
The Vikings return to the court for a match against 19th-ranked Utah later in the day. Utah stayed undefeated with a 3-0 win over UC Davis, which had been undefeated before losing to the Utes. The Vikings and Utes will begin their match at 5 p.m. (MT) / 4 p.m. (PT).
 
Match Notes: The Vikings fell to 2-0 against Utah Valley with the loss…The last time the Vikings lost after leading 2-0 was Nov. 4, 2017, when they lost 3-2 in a road match at Sacramento State…The last time the Vikings had five players with 10+ digs was Oct. 11, 2018 against Weber State.