PORTLAND –  The Portland State women's soccer team will open its 2021 campaign this weekend after just a four-month off-season. The Vikings will take on Seattle University on Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium (1 p.m. PT).

Saturday will mark the first of 17 games for the Vikings this fall. Having finished 0-8-0 in the spring season of 2020-21, Portland State faces the upcoming schedule with extra motivation. 

The Vikings will take on Seattle, Western Oregon, Gonzaga, Boise State, California State-Northridge, San Francisco, and Oregon during non-conference play. They will close out the regular-season portion with a nine-match Big Sky slate beginning with Sacramento State on Sep. 26.

RETURNERS

Despite the loss of eight graduating seniors, Head Coach Katie Burton and Associate Head Coach Maureen Whitney will return 17 players from last season's squad. 

Taking advantage of their fifth year of eligibility, redshirt seniors Liz Hansen, Megan Cornett, and Teà Poore will highlight the returning core. Hansen will pilot the defensive attack after clocking a total of 653 minutes in the spring. 

2021 Second Team All-Big Sky selection Sienna Higinbotham will lead the Viking offense as she takes on her third season in Portland. Higinbotham was the Vikings leading scorer in 2019 before ending 2020-21 tied for a team-high eight shots.  

Sofi Papastamos will return for her senior season tied seventh in all-time career assists at PSU (7). Papastamos tied Higinbotham for a team-high eight shots in 2020-21.

Junior goalkeeper Enya Hernandez will return to the goal for the Vikings after recording 49 saves in 2020-21.

Portland State will turn to a solid group of underclassmen for production this fall. Sophomore Ani Jensen returns after tallying three points during her freshman campaign while Raniyah Burton also left her mark offensively, putting three shots on goal this past Spring. Sophomore Emma Jones will be a defensive force once again after seeing 562 minutes of action in her first season with the Vikings.

NEWCOMERS

Four freshmen will see their first collegiate action in the coming months. Lucy Quinn (Portland, Ore.), Parker Reichner (West Linn, Ore.), Abi Hoffman (Troutdale, Ore.), and Riley Larsen (Issaquah, Wash.) will all look to make an immediate impact in their first season with the Vikings.

A pair of transfers will also join Burton and her squad this year. Sophomore goalkeeper Sidney O'billovich of Portland, Ore. comes to Portland after spending last season with New Mexico State. Junior midfielder Hannah Grady (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) will do the same, arriving in the Rose City following a two-year career at Mt. Sac in Walnut, Calif.

OPENING WEEKEND: SEATTLE REDHAWKS 

Portland State will look to lock in their first regular-season victory of the year against Seattle on Saturday.

The Redhawks finished last season 12-5-2 (10-2-2 WAC), sharing the WAC regular-season title. They advanced to their eighth straight WAC Tournament Championship game before falling to Utah Valley in the Championship match. Senior Sydney Carr will return after leading the nation in goals last spring (16).

Seattle will play a pair of matches before arriving in Hillsboro this weekend, taking on Idaho in an exhibition on Tuesday followed by a Thursday matchup at Oregon State.

The Redhawks lead the all-time series against the Vikings 0-7-4. Seattle earned a 1-0 victory during the last meeting in 2019.