FIRST SERVE

The Portland State volleyball team's gift this December comes in the simple fact that the Vikings are still playing. The Vikings received that gift Sunday night, when they were selected as one of 31 teams nationally to take part in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
 
The Vikings unwrap that gift Friday, when they face Pacific (Calif.) out of the West Coast Conference in the first round of the NIVC at 2 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. MT. Weber State will serve as host for the match, before the Wildcats face off against CSU Bakersfield later that day. The winner of those two matches will face each other in the second round of the NIVC Saturday at 1 p.m. PT / 2 p.m. MT, again in Ogden, Utah.
 
Playing in Ogden means a return trip to the Vikings' Big Sky rivals, as Weber State also hosted the Big Sky tournament two weekends ago. The familiar setting should help the Vikings find their footing a little easier, even if a national postseason tournament remains an unfamiliar setting for the Vikings, at least for the time being. Head coach Michael Seemann hopes that postseason trips will become a regular thing for his Viking program. But at the moment, this season's NIVC tournament appearance marks the Vikings' first at a national postseason tournament since the 2010 Vikings made the NCAA tournament following a 3-2 win over Northern Colorado in the championship match of the Big Sky tournament.
 
The Pacific (Calif.) Tigers will fill the role nicely of the Vikings' first postseason opponent since 2010. They offer a unique challenge for the Vikings as a team out of the stacked WCC. The Tigers went 10-8 against the tough competition within the WCC, with two of their 10 wins coming over nationally ranked teams in Pepperdine and San Diego. The Tigers beat Pepperdine in five sets on Oct. 7, when the Wave were ranked 23rd nationally. At the time, that was their first win over a ranked opponent since Sept. 25, 2014, but the Tigers followed with another just six weeks later. San Diego was also ranked 23rd nationally when the Tigers beat them on Nov. 20, giving the Tigers two wins over nationally ranked teams in the same season for the first time since 2009.
 
Both teams also share three common opponents between the University of Portland and Gonzaga out of the WCC, and Sacramento State out of the Big Sky. The Tigers lost in five sets at Sacramento State on Sept. 10, but won all four of their matches against Portland and Gonzaga while winning 12 of the 13 sets they played against those two teams. The Vikings, meanwhile, went 1-2 against Sacramento State, losing both regular-season matches before beating the Hornets in five sets at the Big Sky tournament. The Vikings also beat Portland and Gonzaga – both by 3-1 scores – during their two home tournaments in September.
 
A conference libero of the Year will also be on either side of the net Friday. Ellie Snook earned her second straight Big Sky Conference Libero of the Year honor ahead of the Big Sky tournament, while Jadyn Tubbs was named the WCC Libero of the Year after leading her conference with 4.39 digs per set.
 
Tubbs also joined teammate Alexa Edwards on the All-WCC team as conference honors were announced Monday. Edwards earned her honor after ranking sixth in the WCC with 3.71 kills per set during the regular season. Edwards also averaged 2.42 digs per set while recording 14 double-doubles this season.
 
Edwards' classmates, Ramonni Cook and Darina Kumanova, earned All-WCC honorable mention. Cook had double-digit kills in six matches during the season, including in both of the team's wins over nationally ranked opponents. Kumanova, meanwhile, was second on the team with 265 kills and third in service aces with 35. Jenna Heller made the WCC's All-Freshman Team after she led the team in both assists per set (5.86) and aces per set (0.39).
 
The Vikings had several of their own players earn all-conference honors, as well. Snook joined Parker Webb and Makayla Lewis on the All-Big Sky first team, while Ally Wada made the All-Big Sky second team. Webb followed with All-Tournament honors at the Big Sky tournament, where she led the Vikings in kills in both matches.
 
Webb opened the tournament with 16 kills on .293 hitting in the Vikings' Big Sky quarterfinal match against Sacramento State. Ten of Webb's 16 kills came in the fourth and fifth sets as the Vikings erased a 2-1 deficit against the Hornets, a team that beat them twice during the regular season. Webb followed with 15 kills on .500 hitting in the team's semifinal loss against Northern Colorado, giving her an average of 3.44 kills per set on .373 hitting.
 
Lewis, who was also named the Big Sky's Top Newcomer in addition to her first-team honors, led the Vikings in kills in 12 of the team's 16 conference matches. Lewis ranked fourth in the Big Sky with 3.55 kills per set in conference matches, when she also averaged 2.95 digs per set and recorded nine double-doubles. Lewis had one of her best matches of the season against Montana State on Nov. 11, when she had 20 kills on .404 hitting while adding 17 digs.
 
Wada, meanwhile, remains the queen of double-doubles for the Vikings, as she added two at the Big Sky tournament to give her 16 for the season. Wada's 16 double-doubles stand as the fourth-best single-season total during the 25-point scoring format (2008-pres.), while her 27-career double-doubles now rank her seventh at Portland State since double-double records started in 2005.
 
Snook, finally, dominated the Big Sky in terms of digs, as her 5.31 digs per set ranked her a full dig per set ahead of the No. 2-ranked player in the conference, Weber State's Makayla Sorensen at 4.31 d/s. Snook also tied a single-season school record with 46 aces, and can break the record if she records an ace Friday. Additionally, Snook's 0.42 aces per set would mark a new school record if the season ended today.
 
The season will not end today, though, thanks to the Vikings making the NIVC tournament field. Win Friday, and the season extends another day as the Vikings would play Saturday in the NIVC second round. Win that, and the third round would come sometime between Dec. 6-8 at a still-to-be-determined location.
 
So really, the Vikings' postseason berth is a gift that could keep on giving. Both for the team itself, but also its fans.
 

MATCH NOTES: PORTLAND STATE (19-10) vs. PACIFIC (13-16)

LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
DETAILS: Friday, Dec. 3, 2 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. MT, Ogden, Utah (Swenson Gym)
SCOUTING PACIFIC: The Pacific (Calif.) Tigers earned an automatic berth into the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) after going 13-16 overall and 10-8 in the always-tough West Coast Conference (WCC). The Vikings and Tigers shared three common opponents with the Vikings, as the Vikings played the University of Portland and Gonzaga out of the WCC during their non-conference schedule, while the Tigers played the Vikings' Big Sky-rival in Sacramento State during its own non-conference slate. The Tigers lost in five sets to Sacramento State on Sept. 10, but won all four of their matches against Portland and Gonzaga while winning 12 of the 13 sets they played against those two teams. The Vikings, meanwhile, went 1-2 against Sacramento State, losing both regular-season matches before beating the Hornets in five sets at the Big Sky tournament. The Vikings also beat Portland and Gonzaga – both by 3-1 scores – during their two home tournaments in September. The Tigers recorded two wins over nationally ranked opponents, the first time they'd done that since 2009. The first such win came at home against then-No. 23 Pepperdine on Oct. 7, with the Tigers beating the Wave in five sets. That win marked the Tigers' first over a nationally ranked opponent since Sept. 25, 2014, but they followed it with another on Nov. 20, when they beat San Diego – also ranked 23rd nationally at the time, coincidentally – in four sets at home. Individually speaking, Alexa Edwards and Jadyn Tubbs were both named to the All-WCC team at the end of the regular season. Tubbs, a senior who was also named the WCC Libero of the Year, earned her postseason honors after leading the conference with 4.39 digs per set while also ranking tied for fourth in service aces with 37. Edwards, a sophomore, ranked sixth in the WCC with 3.71 kills per set during the regular season, when she also averaged 2.42 digs per set and recorded 14 double-doubles. Edwards' classmates, Ramonni Cook and Darina Kumanova, earned All-WCC honorable mention. Cook had double-digit kills in six matches during the season, including in both of the team's wins over nationally ranked opponents. Kumanova, meanwhile, was second on the team with 265 kills and third in service aces with 35. Jenna Heller made the WCC's All-Freshman Team after she led the team in both assists per set (5.86) and aces per set (0.39). The Tigers also competed in the first-ever NIVC tournament back in 2017. The Tigers reached the second round of the tournament that season before losing in five sets to UC Irvine. 
ALL-TIME SERIES: The series between the Vikings and Tigers is tied at 3-3. The Vikings won the last meeting between the two teams, winning in five sets at home on Sept. 7, 2013. The teams have never met during a postseason tournament.
 

A WIN WOULD…

• Advance the Vikings to the NIVC Second Round against either Weber State or CSU Bakersfield at 1 p.m. PT / 2 p.m. MT Saturday.
• Give the Vikings 20 wins in a season for the first time since 2017. A 20-win season would also mark the eighth time the Vikings have hit the benchmark under head coach Michael Seemann.
• Give the Vikings their first win at a national postseason tournament since becoming a Division I program before the 1996 season. The Vikings lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2008 and 2010 in their only other two national tournament appearances.

 

ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS

Ellie Snook repeated as Big Sky Libero of the Year, while Makayla Lewis became the first Viking to be named the Big Sky's Top Newcomer since 2012 as all-conference and individual award winners were announced at the end of the regular season. The all-conference honors went as follows for the Vikings:

• Ellie Snook became just the fifth player – and second Viking – to repeat as Big Sky Libero of the Year. Snook joined Kasimira Clark, who won the award in 2012 and 2013, as the only two Vikings to win back-to-back honors.
• Makayla Lewis became the first Viking since Jaklyn Wheeler in 2012 to be named the Big Sky's Top Newcomer.
• Ellie Snook, Makayla Lewis and Parker Webb were named to the All-Big Sky First Team. It was the first all-conference honor for either Lewis or Webb. Snook had made the All-Big Sky Second Team each of the past two years, but this season marked her first appearance on the All-Big Sky First Team.
• Ally Wada made the All-Big Sky Second Team, the first all-conference honor of her career.

 

SEEMANN COACH OF THE YEAR

Michael Seemann picked up the second Big Sky Coach of the Year honor of his career at the end of the 2021 regular season. The only other year Seemann was named Coach of the Year was in 2010, when the Vikings swept the Big Sky regular season and tournament titles. Seemann earned the honor this year after guiding the Vikings from a tied-for-eighth finish last season to within one match of first this season. Additionally, the Vikings completed a 12-win turnaround during the regular season, as they went 18-9 overall this season after going just 6-12 last season. The Vikings' 12-4 record in Big Sky was also the team's best since going 17-3 in 2013.
 

STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS

• The Vikings went 12-4 in Big Sky play, their best record since going 17-3 in 2013.
• The Vikings' 19 wins this season are their most since 2017, when they won 21.
• The Vikings made the Big Sky semifinals for the first time since 2017, beating Sacramento State – the only conference team they didn't beat during the regular season – 3-2 in the quarterfinals.
• The Vikings started 7-1 in Big Sky play this season, their best start to conference play since they won 14 of their first 15 Big Sky matches in 2012. The team won seven matches in a row after dropping their opener to Weber State, giving the program its longest winning streak since it won 10 matches in a row in 2013.
• Seven of the Vikings' first nine Big Sky matches came on the road, and the Vikings went 5-2 in those seven conference road matches. The Vikings finished 6-2 on the road during Big Sky play – the team's best conference road record since they also went 6-2 in 2011. 
• The Vikings have six wins this season in which they have come back to win after dropping the opening set. Three of those six wins came in Big Sky play, as the Vikings came back to beat Idaho State on Sept. 25, Northern Arizona on Oct. 9, and Weber State on Oct. 30.
• The Vikings held four of their 16 Big Sky opponents during the regular season to under .100 hitting, including defending champion Weber State on Oct. 30. The Vikings held the Wildcats to .076 hitting, a season low for a Wildcat offense that came into the match leading the Big Sky in hitting percentage. As a result, the Vikings enter the postseason third in the Big Sky and 69th in the NCAA with an opponent hitting percentage of .182.
• The Vikings tied a season high with 13 aces against Montana in their regular-season finale on Nov. 13, matching the total they set against Northern Colorado on Oct. 23. The Vikings also had 11 aces against Weber State on Oct. 30, when they out-aced a team that came into the match ranked third in the NCAA in the category.
• Ellie Snook tied a single-season school record with 46 aces, matching the record Kaeli Patton set in 2012. With at least one ace in Friday's match, she'll break the record. Snook would also own the record for aces per set if the season ended today, as her average of 0.42 aces per set would top Patton's mark of 0.40 from 2012. 
• The Vikings rank second in the Big Sky for both kills per set (13.0) and assists per set (11.9).
• Ellie Snook enters the postseason leading the Big Sky and ranked 15th in the NCAA with 5.31 digs per set this season. Snook leads the No. 2-ranked player in the conference by a full dig per set, as Weber State's Makayla Sorensen averages 4.31 d/s.
• Makayla Lewis and Parker Webb rank sixth and ninth in the Big Sky with 3.22 and 3.05 kills per set, respectively. Lewis led the Vikings in kills in 12 of the team's 16 Big Sky matches this season, and recorded a double-double in nine of the 16. Webb led the Vikings in kills in both of the team's matches at the Big Sky tournament, where she made the all-tournament team after averaging 3.44 kills per set on .373 hitting.
• Ally Wada has 16 double-doubles this season, the fourth-best single-season total during the 25-point scoring format (2008-pres.). Wada has 27 double-doubles in her Viking career, ranking her seventh on the all-time list at Portland State.
• The Vikings have more upperclassmen (10) than underclassmen (6) for the first time since 2018. It's a far cry from the team's numbers two years ago, when they had seven freshmen and nine underclassmen on their 12-player roster. The team has three fifth-year players in Genevieve Florig, Maddy Reeb and Parker Webb.
• The Vikings added six newcomers over the offseason between three true freshmen – Morgan Halady, Teniyah Leuluai and Lily Snook – and three transfers – Genevieve Florig, Makayla Lewis and Sydney Rabe. Of the transfers, Florig came in as a grad transfer from UCONN, Lewis played two years at San Jose State, while Rabe was at UW Green Bay last year but didn't play and remains a redshirt freshman. Florig joins Zoe McBride, who transferred to the Vikings before last season, as players from the Portland area who started their careers at other Division I schools before transferring back to the region.
• Lily Snook joined her sister Ellie on the Vikings' team this season. Their father, Jamie Snook, also played men's basketball at Portland State from 1996-99. Additionally, their cousin, Jake Porter, plays for the Vikings' football team, and Jake's dad played baseball at Portland State in the 1990s.
• Maddy Reeb would have exhausted her eligibility last year, but decided to come back for a fifth year after the NCAA granted all volleyball players an extra year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reeb split time between being a setter and an outside hitter during her first four years at Portland State, but will play exclusively on the outside this season. Reeb's versatility saw her become the first Viking since 2010 to record a triple-double last year, which she did twice during the season.

 

COMEBACK VIKS

The Vikings squandered six set points in the first set against Weber State on Oct. 30, falling 34-32. The team's reaction? Shrug. The Vikings shook it off by winning the next three sets, completing their sixth comeback victory after dropping the opening set this season. Three of those six wins came in Big Sky Conference play. In addition to their comeback against Weber State, the Vikings also won after dropping the opening set against Idaho State on Sept. 25 and Northern Arizona on Oct. 9. The comebacks during non-conference play came against Santa Clara on Aug. 28, Grand Canyon on Sept. 10 and North Dakota State on Sept. 18. The Vikings reverse swept North Dakota State, as they erased an 0-2 deficit for the first time since Sept. 8, 2016. Comebacks have also been part of other matches, including in the Big Sky quarterfinals when the Vikings erased a 2-1 deficit against Sacramento State – the only conference team they hadn't beaten during the regular season. Comebacks were also part of both matches during the Vikings' Montana road trip, which the team swept for the first time since 2013. The Vikings came back from a 2-1 deficit to beat Montana in five sets on Oct. 14, then saved five set points in the first set of a 3-1 win over Montana State on Oct. 16. The comebacks led the Vikings to their first road sweep of the Montana schools since 2013. The comeback gene is a fitting part of the Vikings' DNA this season after head coach Michael Seemann introduced competition as early and as often as possible during the Vikings' fall camp in August.  
 

LEAGUE-LEADNG DEFENSE

The Vikings played their best defensive match of the season against Weber State on Oct. 30, holding the Wildcats – the league-leading offense at the time – to .076 hitting. The .076 mark represented a season low for Weber State, whose previous season low had been .122 against then-No. 20 Utah on Sept. 9. A seasonal-best performance at the net fueled the defensive effort, as the Vikings out-blocked the Wildcats 16-to-6. Genevieve Florig and Ashleigh Barto led the way with nine and seven blocks, respectively, while Parker Webb added a season-high six blocks. The Vikings enter the postseason ranked 69th in the NCAA with an opponent hitting percentage of .182. Additionally, the team led the Big Sky throughout the regular season in digs per set, and enter the postseason ranked 15th in the NCAA with an average of 17.2 digs per set. Ellie Snook – the two-time defending Big Sky Libero of the Year after Tuesday – makes the defensive motor run for the Vikings, as she ranks 15th nationally with 5.31 digs per set. Snook's average gives her a full dig-per-set lead over the No. 2-ranked played in the conference, Weber State's Makayla Sorensen at 4.31. Three other regular starters average over 2.5 digs per set besides Snook, as Makayla Lewis, Zoe McBride and Ally Wada average 2.77, 2.65 and 2.54 d/s, respectively.
 

ACE IN THE HOLE

A season-high 13 aces in a pivotal match against Northern Colorado on Oct. 23 kickstarted what has become a major strength for the Vikings over the latter half of the season. Counting the match against the Bears, the Vikings have totaled 72 aces over their last nine matches for an average of 2.00 aces per set. The Vikings tied their season high with 13 aces against Montana on Nov. 13, and did so in a match that only went to three sets. The Vikings' recent run on the serve also included a match in which they out-aced Weber State 11-to-9 on Oct. 30. That was an especially strong showing for the Vikings considering the Wildcats came into the match ranked third in the NCAA for aces per set. Ellie Snook has 21 aces over the Vikings' last nine matches, including a pair of five-ace performances against Northern Colorado and Weber State. Snook has tied a single-season record with 46 aces this season, matching the record Kaeli Patton set in 2012. Snook would also own the single-season record for aces per set if the season ended today, as her average of 0.42 aces per set ranks ahead of Patton's 2012 average of 0.40.
 

DEPTH AT THE PINS

Makayla Lewis led or tied for the team lead in kills in 12 of the Vikings' 16 Big Sky matches, but even with Lewis' production, there has been an impressive display of depth for the Vikings this season. Six different players have either led or tied for the lead in kills during Big Sky play between Lewis, Parker Webb, Maddy Reeb, Gabby Hollins, Zoe McBride and Ashleigh Barto. Six different Vikings finished with at least six kills in the Vikings' win over Sacramento State in the Big Sky quarterfinals on Nov. 18. Additionally, five different players finished with at least six kills against Montana on Nov. 13, while no player hit worse than .222 in the match. Overall, Lewis and Webb both rank in the top 10 of the Big Sky for kills per set. Lewis stands sixth with 3.22 kills per set, while Webb ranks ninth with 3.05 k/s. Lewis ranked even higher during Big Sky play, as she finished the conference schedule ranked fourth with 3.55 kills per set against conference opponents. Besides those two, McBride, Reeb and Hollins have all had their moments for the Vikings this season. All three averaged at least two kills per set in conference play with Hollins at 2.57 kills per set, while Reeb and McBride averaged 2.13 and 2.09 kills per set, respectively. The Vikings' balance this season has boosted the team's offense as a whole, as the Vikings rank second in the Big Sky in both kills per set (13.0) and assists per set (11.9).
 

FORMATION CHANGE

The Vikings have shown the ability to seamlessly fluctuate between a 5-1 and a 6-2 formation this season. The Vikings went back to a 5-1 for their win at Southern Utah on Nov. 6, and Ally Wada stepped up as the lone setter to record 50 assists and 13 digs in the team's 3-1 win. But just a week earlier, Wada and Teniyah Leuluai orchestrated the 6-2 to perfection as they both recorded double-doubles while leading the Vikings to a 3-1 win over defending Big Sky champion Weber State. Leuluai led the Vikings with 22 assists while setting a new career high with 10 digs against the Wildcats, while Wada finished with 19 assists and 11 digs. The offense has appeared to hum no matter the formation, as the Vikings averaged 13.7 kills and 12.6 assists per set in Big Sky play. Wada and Leuluai have both contributed to that from the setter spot, as they average 7.02 and 4.59 assists per set, respectively, against Big Sky opponents. Five different Vikings also averaged at least two kills per set in Big Sky play, between Makayla Lewis (3.55 k/s), Parker Webb (2.57 k/s), Gabby Hollins (2.52 k/s), Maddy Reeb (2.13 k/s) and Zoe McBride (2.09 k/s).
 

ELLIE SNOOK STANDS ALONE

Ellie Snook joined elite company ahead of the Big Sky tournament when she became just the fifth player in Big Sky history to be named Big Sky Libero of the Year in back-to-back years. So, Snook has company historically. But within this season? Snook remains in a company by herself. The Viking junior holds a commanding lead within the Big Sky Conference for digs per set, as she leads the No. 2-ranked player in the Big Sky by a full dig per set while also ranking eighth in the nation with 5.31 d/s. Snook's 5.31 digs per set also put her close to the single-season record she set with 5.47 d/s as a freshman in 2019. Snook could be poised to set more records this season, though perhaps not in terms of digs. Snook tied a single-season record with 46 aces, matching a record Kaeli Patton set with 46 aces in 2012. Additionally, Snook's average of 0.42 aces per set would mark a new single-season record during the 25-point scoring format if the season ended today, as it tops Patton's average of 0.40 aces per set from 2012.
 

MAKAYLA LEWIS, FROM SPARTAN TO VIKING

A transfer from San Jose State before the season, Makayla Lewis has made a seamless transition from being a Spartan to a Viking. So much so that the junior was named the Big Sky's Top Newcomer ahead of the Big Sky tournament two weekends ago, while she also made the All-Big Sky first team. Lewis earned the honors after leading the Vikings in kills in 12 of their 16 Big Sky matches this season. Lewis ranked fourth in the Big Sky with 3.55 kills per set in conference matches, when she also averaged 2.95 digs per set. Lewis has recorded double-doubles in five of the Vikings' last seven matches, while nine of her 13 double-doubles this season came during Big Sky play. One of Lewis' biggest double-doubles came against Montana State on Nov. 11, when she had 20 kills on .404 hitting while adding 17 digs. Lewis also played one of her best matches in the Vikings' 3-1 win over defending-champion Weber State on Oct. 30, when she finished with 15 kills to go with a career-high 21 digs. Lewis topped at least 15 kills seven times during Big Sky play, while her 20 kills against Montana State three weeks ago marked her highest total in a conference match this season. Lewis set a career high with 25 kills in the Vikings' five-set win over Grand Canyon, when she also hit .302 while adding 12 digs.
 

WEBB SLINGER

With apologies to Peter Parker, the Spider-Verse doesn't appeal to us nearly as much as the Parker Webb-Verse. And this season, it appears we've all been in the Parker Webb-verse. Webb earned All-Big Sky first-team honors ahead of the Big Sky tournament, then made the All-Big Sky tournament team. Webb earned the all-tournament honor after averaging 3.44 kills per set on .373 hitting at the tournament. The senior earned the All-Big Sky first-team honors after ranking ninth in the conference with 3.05 kills per set this season. Webb's best match in Big Sky play came in the Vikings' win over defending champion Weber State on Oct. 30. Webb recorded 16 kills on .368 hitting in the match, while also setting a new season high with six blocks. Webb also had 16 kills on .300 hitting in the Vikings' first match against Montana State on Oct. 16, when she also chipped in 12 digs. Webb showcased a new level for herself at the Les Schwab Rose City Showdown, Sept. 17-19. There, Webb averaged 4.67 kills, 2.33 digs, 0.92 blocks, 0.42 aces and 5.58 points per set while hitting .385. Those numbers earned her Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week honors, the second time in her career she has been so honored. Additionally, Webb was at her best in the Vikings' first two five-set wins this season. Webb helped the Vikings hand Grand Canyon its first loss of the season on Sept. 10, recording 22 kills on .383 hitting to go with 14 digs. Webb then topped that with 23 kills on .360 hitting and 15 digs in the team's five-set win over North Dakota State on Sept. 18, a match in which the Vikings erased an 0-2 deficit for the first time since 2016.
 

A WHOLE LOTTA WADA

Senior Ally Wada has been a walking double-double since arriving in Portland from San Francisco before last season. Wada had 11 double-doubles in 17 matches last season, and has posted a double-double in six of the Vikings' past seven matches. Wada leads the Vikings with 16 double-doubles this season, giving her the fourth-best single-season total during the 25-point scoring format (2008-pres.). Wada also ranks seventh in career double-doubles now, as she passed Nique Fradella (2006-09) and Pati Anae (2015-16) with her 27th career double-double in the Vikings' Big Sky semifinal match against Northern Colorado. Wada hit the 50-assist benchmark for a second time this season against Southern Utah on Nov. 6, when she finished with 50 assists and 13 digs. Wada's highest total this season, however, came in the Vikings' five-set win over Grand Canyon on Sept. 10. Wada set a new career high with 62 assists against the Lopes, 11 of which came as the Vikings recorded 14 kills in the fifth set. Wada now ranks fifth in the Big Sky with 7.52 assists per set, while she's helped the Vikings rank second in the conference in both kills per set (13.0) and assists per set (11.9).
 

NO LONGER A MCBRIDESMAID, NOW A MCBRIDE

At the PDX Classic on Sept. 9-11, Zoe McBride recorded only one kill in seven sets, as she played sparingly due to lack of production. Head coach Michael Seemann said McBride did not accept that of herself, however, and responded with a great week of practice in the week that followed. She hasn't looked back sense. McBride recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 12 kills and 16 digs against Montana State on Nov. 11. McBride recorded five kills on her first five swings of the match, as she led the Vikings to a .400 hitting percentage in the opening set. McBride was also a kill away from a double-double with nine kills and 11 digs in the Vikings' three-set win over Montana on Nov. 13. McBride recorded three straight double-doubles earlier in the season, as she helped the Vikings go 3-0 at the Les Schwab Rose City Showdown, Sept. 17-19. Additionally, against Idaho on Sept. 30, McBride put together her most efficient match to date while leading the Vikings to a three-set sweep of the Vandals. McBride totaled 11 kills on 19 swings without committing an attack error, giving her a .579 hitting percentage. McBride also tied Ashleigh Barto for the team lead with 14 kills against Montana on Oct. 14, while adding 11 digs for what was then her fifth double-double of the season. McBride's best double-double came in the Vikings' 3-1 win over Gonzaga on Sept. 19, when she set season highs for kills (15) and digs (19).
 

YOUNG NO MORE

The Vikings have more upperclassmen (10) than underclassmen (6) this season for the first time since 2018. The team has been developing its young players over the past two seasons, and now has as many fifth-year seniors (3 – Genevieve Florig, Maddy Reeb, Parker Webb) as they do true freshmen (3 – Morgan Halady, Teniyah Leuluai, Lily Snook). It's a far cry from where the Vikings' roster was two years ago, when the team featured seven freshmen and nine underclassmen on their 12-player roster.
 

DIVISION I TRANSFERS

The Vikings have added six Division I transfers in the past two seasons. Zoe McBride (Morgan State), Megan Sester (Cal Baptist) and Ally Wada (San Francisco) joined the Vikings before last season, while Genevieve Florig (UCONN), Makayla Lewis (San Jose State) and Sydney Rabe (UW Green Bay) joined the Vikings before this season. McBride and Wada finished with four and 11 double-doubles, respectively, in the team's shortened 2021 winter season. Lewis, meanwhile, was the only Viking to finish with at least eight kills, four blocks and 10 digs in the team's 5-0 exhibition win over Central Washington Monday.
 

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

Big Sky coaches picked the Vikings to finish sixth in the conference before the season. If that were to come to fruition, it would mark the Vikings' highest finish within the conference since 2017, when they placed fourth. A sixth-place finish in the Big Sky would also see the Vikings return to the Big Sky tournament for the first time since 2017, when they made it to the conference semifinals before losing to regular-season champion and host Sacramento State.
 

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Nov. 18, 2021, Portland State 3, Sacramento State 2: The Vikings avenged two losses to Sacramento State during the regular season, while coming back from a 2-1 deficit to beat the Hornets in the Big Sky quarterfinals. Fifth-year senior Maddy Reeb recorded the winning kill in all three sets the Vikings won.
Nov. 13, 2021, Portland State 3, Montana 0: The Vikings recorded their best hitting percentage since their match against Idaho on Sept. 30 while hitting .291 against the Grizzlies. No player hit worse than .222 in the match, while all four senior hitters recorded at least six kills on their Senior Night. Additionally, senior setter Ally Wada recorded her team-best 14th double-double in the match with 13 assists and 12 digs.
Oct. 30, 2021, Portland State 3, Weber State 1: The Vikings erased a 34-32 loss in the first set to beat Weber State in a match that pitted the teams ranked first and second in the Big Sky Conference against each other. The Vikings moved into a tie with the Wildcats for first after the win, which was the Vikings' first over the Wildcats since 2017.
Oct. 23, 2021, Portland State 3, Northern Colorado 1: The Vikings recorded their first win over Northern Colorado since 2017, and only their second win over the Bears since 2013. What's more, the win broke a tie with the Bears for second in the Big Sky standings, and gave the Vikings the tiebreaker over the Bears this season.
Oct. 16, 2021, Portland State 3, Montana State 1: The Vikings saved five set points while winning the first set, 34-32, then saved another set point while winning the third set, 27-25. The 34-32 first set was the longest set the Vikings have played since a 34-32 third-set victory in another match against the Bobcats on Oct. 24, 2015. The win over Montana State marked the Vikings' first road win over the Bobcats since 2017, and completed the Vikings' first road sweep of the Montana schools since 2013.
Oct. 14, 2021, Portland State 3, Montana 2: The Vikings erased a 2-1 deficit to beat the Grizzlies in five sets, recording their first road win at Montana since 2016 in the process. 
Oct. 9, 2021, Portland State 3, Northern Arizona 1: The Vikings erased a first-set loss to come back and win for the fifth time this season. The fact that it came against NAU, a team that had beaten the Vikings in 14 of their previous 16 meetings, made it all the more impressive.
Oct. 7, 2021, Portland State 3, Southern Utah 0: A third straight sweep extended the Vikings' streak of set victories to 12, going back to the second set against Idaho State on Sept. 25.
Oct. 1, 2021, Portland State 3, Eastern Washington 0: The Vikings completed their first Big Sky road sweep since 2017 with a 3-0 sweep of Eastern Washington. 
Sept. 30, 2021, Portland State 3, Idaho 0: The Vikings hit .398 for their best hitting percentage in a match since they hit .432 in a three-set win over Montana State on Sept. 29, 2016. Three different players recorded at least 10 kills while also hitting over .333. Zoe McBride and Maddy Reeb totaled 11 and 10 kills, respectively, while both hit north of .500 at .579 and .529.
Sept. 25, 2021, Portland State 3, Idaho State 1: The Vikings overcame a first-set loss to beat the Bengals in four sets. Out of seven wins so far this season, four have come in matches where the Vikings dropped the opening set.
Sept. 19, 2021, Portland State 3, Gonzaga 1: The Vikings overcame late deficits in the first and third sets to beat the Zags in four. The Vikings trailed by at least five points in every set that they won. The Vikings won 11 of the final 15 points in the first set after falling behind 19-14. The Vikings then won 12 of the final 14 points in the third set after trailing 21-13. In the fourth set, the Vikings won 16 of the final 20 points to run away with it after Gonzaga led 10-5 early. 
Sept. 18, 2021, Portland State 3, North Dakota State 2: The Vikings overcame an 0-2 deficit while reverse sweeping the Bison to win in five sets. It was the first time the Vikings have come back to win after losing the first two sets since doing it against Utah State on Sept. 8, 2016.
Sept. 17, 2021, Portland State 3, North Dakota State 0: The Vikings hit a seasonal-best .312 against the Bison, who came into the match having won four straight, including a 3-1 win over Cal out of the Pac-12. The Vikings hadn't topped .300 hitting in a match since their 2019 season opener.
Sept. 10, 2021, Portland State 3, Grand Canyon 2: The Vikings handed Grand Canyon, which entered the match 7-0, its first loss of the season while winning in five sets. Makayla Lewis and Parker Webb became the first Viking teammates to record 20+ kills in the same match since Pati Anae and Eva Linden each had 21 kills against Montana State on Oct. 24, 2015. Those two were also part of four Vikings who finished with double-doubles in the match, only the second time that's happened since 2010, and the first time since 2019.
Sept. 9, 2021, Portland State 3, Portland 1: The Vikings beat their cross-town rival in the Pilots, breaking open a match that had been tied 1-1 and 14-all in the third set. The Vikings won 11 of the final 14 points of the third set, then dominated the fourth set, 25-7. 
Aug. 28, 2021, Portland State 3, Santa Clara 1: Ellie Snook set a new four-set career high with 30 digs as the Vikings overcame a first-set loss to beat the Broncos in four sets. Snook had 14 digs in the crucial third set alone. Ally Wada was named to the Oregon Invitational All-Tournament Team after she finished with 33 assists and 17 digs in the match.