FIRST SERVE

The Portland State volleyball team heads into a road series at Southern Utah deserving of a breakthrough.
 
The Vikings nearly got it Monday, when they pushed defending Big Sky champion Northern Colorado to five sets at Viking Pavilion. The Vikings hit a seasonal-best .289 in the match despite the Bears coming into the weekend leading the Big Sky with an opponent hitting percentage of .118. Additionally, Megan Sester recorded her first 20-kill match as a Viking, while Parker Webb posted her second straight double-double, Maddy Reeb finished a kill away from her own, and setter Ally Wada recorded her sixth straight to open the season.
 
Still, the Vikings didn't get the breakthrough that night, nor did they Tuesday despite another 14 kills for Sester on .419 hitting.
 
The Vikings hit better in both matches against the Bears than any other match this season, but the team's passing, which had been a strength in other matches, let the Vikings down. Put the two elements together, and the Vikings will get the breakthrough they deserve when they face Southern Utah on the road, Feb. 21-22.
 
Sester's emergence has boosted the Vikings' attack, which jumped three spots in the Big Sky rankings for hitting percentage after last weekend's performance. Sester now has 51 kills in the Vikings' past three matches, giving her an average of 3.92 kills per set during the stretch. Sester now ranks seventh in the Big Sky in both kills per set (3.26) and points per set (3.63) this season.
 
Besides Sester, the Vikings also got good production out of their middle blockers in both matches against the Bears. Sophomore middle Julia Haynie hit .400 or better while recording at least six kills in both matches, something she's now down in four of the Vikings' eight matches this season. Haynie hit .545 with six kills on 11 swings and no errors in the Vikings' match Monday, a week after she hit .625 with six kills on eight swings and one error against Eastern Washington.
 
Haynie now ranks sixth in the Big Sky with a .315 hitting percentage, while fellow middle blocker Ashleigh Barto is hitting .263. Barto hit .556 for the Vikings Monday, when she had six kills on nine swings and one error.
 
The Vikings will need to improve their passing against the Thunderbirds if they hope to break through, however. The Bears totaled 23 aces against the Vikings across both matches last weekend, and Southern Utah represents one of the better serving teams in the Big Sky once again. The Thunderbirds rank fourth in the Big Sky with 1.67 service aces per set, while Elisa Lago stands sixth in the conference individually with 0.48 aces per set.
 
The Vikings still lead the Big Sky with 17.00 digs per set, holding a lead of close to 1.7 digs over the No. 2-ranked team in Idaho at 15.31. Sophomore libero Ellie Snook leads the conference individually with 4.84 digs per set, an average that also ranks her 61st in the nation. Additionally, Wada and Jasmine Powell average over 2.5 digs per set for the Vikings, with Wada second on the team at 2.90 and Powell third at 2.59.
 
The Thunderbirds can be a different team whether they're playing at home or on the road. So far this season, Southern Utah is 2-0 in Big Sky play at home, and 0-4 on the road. Some of that may have to do with opponents and matchups, but the same was true last year when the Thunderbirds were 8-4 at home and 3-9 on the road in all matches in 2019.
 
The Thunderbirds' two home wins came over Montana, which they beat 3-1 each time. Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds played Idaho and Weber State on the road, and lost 3-0 in three of those four matches. The Thunderbirds also played a non-conference match against Dixie State at home on Jan. 22, losing 3-0.
 
The Vikings will love nothing more than to add another loss or two to the Thunderbirds' home record this weekend. They get their first chance Sunday, Feb. 21, with first serve scheduled for 5 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. MT.
 
Sounds like a perfect time for a breakthrough.
 

MATCH NOTES: PORTLAND STATE (1-7, 0-6) vs. SOUTHERN UTAH (2-5, 2-4)

LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
MATCH #1: Sunday, Feb. 21, 5 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. MT, Cedar City, Utah (America First Event Center)
MATCH #2: Monday, Feb. 22, 5 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. MT, Cedar City, Utah (America First Event Center)
SCOUTING SOUTHERN UTAH: The Southern Utah Thunderbirds have shown the value of playing at home this season. The Thunderbirds are 2-0 in Big Sky play at home, and 0-4 on the road. Some of that may have to do with opponents and matchups, but the same was true last year when the Thunderbirds were 8-4 at home and 3-9 on the road in all matches in 2019. The Thunderbirds' two home wins came over Montana, which they beat 3-1 each time. Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds played Idaho and Weber State on the road, and lost 3-0 in three of those four matches. The Thunderbirds also played a non-conference match against Dixie State at home on Jan. 22, losing 3-0. Overall, the Thunderbirds rank 10th in the Big Sky in most statistical categories, though they stand fourth in service aces with an average of 1.67 per set. Elisa Lago leads the Thunderbirds' serving efforts, ranking sixth in the conference individually with 0.48 aces per set. Setter Corrin Peterson, meanwhile, ranks third in the Big Sky with 9.33 assists per set, while Raegen Ashby ranks seventh in the conference with a hitting percentage of .313. Only two players for the Thunderbirds average more than two kills per set in Stacey Hone and Andreanna McKee at 2.62 and 2.29, respectively. Hone also leads the Thunderbirds with 0.76 blocks per set, while McKee ranks second to Lago with 0.38 service aces per set. Sarah Gasper leads the Thunderbirds with 2.95 digs per set, with Peterson second behind her with 2.00 d/s.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Thunderbirds, 12-4. The teams have split their last four matches, however, while the Thunderbirds won their last match via a 3-0 sweep in Cedar City on Nov. 7, 2019.
 

STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS

• The Vikings had their two best matches of the season in terms of hitting percentage against Northern Colorado, the team that came into the weekend leading the Big Sky in opponent hitting percentage. The Vikings set a seasonal best by hitting .289 Monday against the Bears, then followed with a .248 hitting percentage Tuesday. The Vikings have now hit .220 or above in their past three matches.

• Megan Sester has totaled 51 kills in the Vikings' past three matches, giving her an average of 3.92 kills per set during that stretch. Sester, who transferred to Portland State from California Baptist, recorded her first 20-kill match as a Viking with 20 kills against the Bears Monday, and followed with 14 kills on .419 hitting Tuesday. Sester now ranks seventh in the Big Sky in both kills per set (3.26) and points per set (3.63).

• Julia Haynie has hit .400 or better while also recording at least six kills in four of the Vikings' eight matches this season. Haynie now ranks sixth in the Big Sky with a .315 hitting percentage this season.
• The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 44th in the nation with 17.0 digs per set. The Vikings lead the Big Sky by nearly 1.7 digs per set, as Idaho ranks second in the conference with 15.31 digs per set.
• Ellie Snook leads the Big Sky and ranks 61st in the nation with 4.84 digs per set so far this season. Snook recorded 20+ digs in the Vikings' first six matches of the season.
• Six of the Vikings' first seven matches of the season went to five sets, the first time that has happened in program history. The Vikings are already more than half way to the school record for five-set matches, which the Vikings set at 11 in 2010.
• Junior transfer Ally Wada posted six straight double-doubles to open her Viking career, before having the streak snapped in the Vikings' match against Northern Colorado Tuesday. Wada, who had back-to-back 50-assist matches with 56 against Eastern Washington on Feb. 8 and 53 against Northern Colorado on Feb. 15, ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 8.90 assists per set this season.
• Ellie Snook competed at the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts that took place at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, Feb. 21-23, 2020. Three-time Olympic gold medalist and U.S. Olympic Hall of Famer Karch Kiraly led the tryouts.
• A season after the Vikings had seven freshmen and nine underclassmen among their 12 players, the Vikings will be much more experienced this season. The Vikings have six upperclassmen now – double what they had last season – while six of the seven players who were freshmen last season return as sophomores.
• The Vikings only got about a week's worth of 6-on-6 practices under their belts before the start of the season. The Vikings initially returned to 6-on-6 play in late December, but then moved to practicing in 4-5 player pods after a two-week quarantine.

 

FIVE-SET VIKS BACK AGAIN

Six of the Vikings' first seven matches went to five sets, the first time that has happened in program history. The Vikings are already more than halfway to the school record for five-set matches in a season, which the Vikings set at 11 in 2010. It's possible for the Vikings to reach that even with the shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Vikings also played eight five-set matches last season, the most they had played since setting the record with 11 in 2010.
 

IMPROVED HITTING

How much more does it mean to set a seasonal high against a defending conference champion and league leader? Well, the Vikings earned that extra value Monday, when they set a seasonal-best hitting percentage of .289 against Northern Colorado, a team that came into the match as both the defending Big Sky champions and league leaders in opponent hitting percentage at .118. The Vikings followed up by hitting .248 against the Bears Tuesday, a mark that would have been a season high if not for the team's performance Monday. Individually, Julia Haynie has hit .400 or better while recording at least six kills in three straight matches, and now ranks sixth in the Big Sky with a .315 hitting percentage. 
 

THE VIKS ARE GOOD ON DEFENSE, YA DIG?

The Vikings' defense had been a strength for the Vikings this season before a rough weekend against Northern Colorado. The Vikings still lead the Big Sky and rank 44th in the nation with 17.0 digs per set after recording at least 80 digs in the team's first six matches of the season. Six different Vikings average over 2.00 digs per set, led by Ellie Snook who leads the Big Sky with 4.84 digs per set. Ally Wada ranks second on the team with 2.90 digs per set, while Jasmine Powell stands third with 2.59 d/s. Gabby Hollins (2.39), Parker Webb (2.30) and Maddy Reeb (2.10) all also average over two digs per set.
 

DEPTH ON OUTSIDE

Six different Vikings recorded six or more kills in the team's five-set loss to Northern Colorado Monday. That was the surest sign of the Vikings' depth in the attack this season. Four different Vikings average at least two kills per set, led by Megan Sester who ranks seventh in the Big Sky with 3.26 kills per set. Besides Sester, Jasmine Powell (2.79), Parker Webb (2.20) and Gabby Hollins (2.03) also average at least 2.00 kills per set. Additionally, Maddy Reeb (1.71 k/s) and Julia Haynie (1.40 k/s) have each had 10+ kills in matches this season. Overall, the Vikings rank sixth in the Big Sky with 11.95 kills per set, and moved up three spots after last weekend's series against Northern Colorado to sixth in hitting percentage at .187.
 

MEGAN THEE VIKINGS' STALLION

Megan Sester served as the Vikings' workhorse last weekend against Northern Colorado. Sester, who transferred to Portland State from California Baptist, recorded her first 20-kill match as a Viking with 20 kills against the Bears Monday. Sester then followed with 14 kills on .419 hitting Tuesday, and now ranks seventh in the Big Sky in both kills per set (3.26) and points per set (3.63). Sester has 51 kills in the Vikings' past three matches, giving her an average of 3.92 kills per set during that stretch.
 

SNOOK BACK FROM RECORD-SETTING FRESHMAN SEASON

Sophomore libero Ellie Snook has picked up right where she left off following her standout freshman season as she leads the Big Sky with 4.84 digs per set. Snook, who was named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week following the opening weekend of the season, also ranks 61st in the nation in digs per set. Snook posted 20+ digs in the Vikings' first six matches of the season, with her season high coming against Idaho on Jan. 25 when she had 29. Snook led all freshmen in the NCAA while setting a new Portland State single-season record with 5.47 digs per set last season. That performance earned her All-Big Sky second-team honors, making her the first Viking freshman to make the all-conference first or second teams since Hall of Famer Garyn Schlatter in 2010. Snook's offseason also included a tryout at the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts that took place at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, Feb. 21-23, 2020. Three-time Olympic gold medalist and U.S. Olympic Hall of Famer Karch Kiraly led the tryouts.
 

A WHOLE LOTTA WADA

Junior transfer Ally Wada posted six straight double-doubles to open her Viking career after transferring into the program in December from the University of San Francisco. Wada recorded back-to-back 50-assist matches against Eastern Washington on Feb. 8 and Northern Colorado on Feb. 15. Wada finished with 56 assists and 15 digs against the Eagles on the 8th, and then followed with 53 assists and 15 digs against the Bears on the 15th. Wada had her streak of double-doubles snapped in the Vikings' match against the Bears Tuesday, but now ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 8.90 assists per set.  
 

WHEN THE JASMINE'S TESTIFYIN'

Sophomore Jasmine Powell had an off weekend against Northern Colorado, but was the best player on the floor the previous week against Eastern Washington. Powell posted double-doubles in both matches against the Eagles between 17 kills and 23 digs on Feb. 7, and 18 kills and 13 digs on Feb. 8. Those performances gave Powell averages of 3.5 kills and 3.6 digs per set across both matches against the Eagles. For the season, Powell is averaging over 2.5 kills and 2.5 digs per set, a feat she also did as a freshman. Powell averages 2.79 kills per set so far this season, while she ranks third on the team with 2.59 digs per set.
 

HOLLINS' RECORD-BREAKING DEBUT

Those of us moving up from one stage to the next can only hope to do so as seamlessly as freshman Gabby Hollins. In the first three matches of her collegiate career, Hollins recorded a double-double each time. Hollins' best offensive match remains her debut, when she had 23 kills in the team's season opener against Idaho. That marked the most kills by a Viking freshman (since at least 2010, when first-year records date back), as well as the most kills by any freshman in her Viking debut.
 

DIVISION I TRANSFERS

The Vikings added three quality Division I transfers over the offseason in Zoe McBride from Morgan State, Megan Sester from California Baptist and Ally Wada from San Francisco. All three transfers were starters at their previous schools, where they played as freshmen and sophomores. McBride joins the Vikings after being named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year last season, when she led the MEAC with 4.89 kills per set and ranked in the top 10 nationally for attacks (6th), kills (8th), and points (9th) per set. Sester, meanwhile, had her best season at Cal Baptist as a freshman in 2018, when she made the Western Athletic Conference All-Freshman team while ranking eighth in the conference with 2.95 kills per set. Wada, finally, joined the Vikings in December from the University of San Francisco, where she started full-time as a sophomore. Wada ranked third in the West Coast Conference with 9.09 assists per set last season, and set a career high with 57 assists in a match against the Vikings' cross-town rival the University of Portland.
 

FRESHMEN

A season after the Vikings had seven freshmen join the team, the Vikings added only two this offseason in outside hitter Gabby Hollins and middle blocker Ashleigh Barto. Hollins comes to the Vikings out of Paloma Valley High School in Canyon Lake, Calif., where she was league MVP as a junior after leading her team to the state quarterfinals and CIF finals. Barto joined the Vikings out of Horizon High School in Phoenix, Ariz., where she was an all-region first-team selection while leading her team to a ninth-place finish at state as a senior.
 

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Feb. 15, Northern Colorado 3, Portland State 2: The Vikings hit a seasonal-best .289 despite the Bears coming in as the Big Sky leaders in opponent hitting percentage at .118. Megan Sester recorded her first 20-kill match as a Viking, while six different players recorded at least six kills for the Vikings. 
Feb. 8, Eastern Washington 3, Portland State 2: The Vikings had three players record 14 kills or more for the first time during the season. Jasmine Powell led the way with 18 kills, while Megan Sester added 17 and Parker Webb chipped in 14. Powell and Webb also finished with more than 10 digs to record double-doubles.
Jan. 30, Northern Arizona 3, Portland State 2: The Vikings played their third straight five-set match to open the season, the first time that had happened in program history. Freshman Gabby Hollins recorded her third straight double-double to open the season, recording 18 kills and 17 digs. 
Jan. 24, Portland State 3, Idaho 2: Freshman Gabby Hollins broke two PSU freshman records while recording 23 kills in the Vikings' win over Idaho Sunday. Hollins set the freshman record for most kills in a match, as well as the record for most kills in a Viking debut. Senior Maddy Reeb became the first Viking to record a triple-double since Garyn Schlatter on Oct. 15, 2010, with 10 kills, 50 assists and 15 digs in Sunday's win over the Vandals.