FIRST SERVE

It's been 10 months since the Portland State volleyball team came up one match short of a share of the 2021 Big Sky regular-season title.
 
Ten months of waiting for a second chance.
 
That wait ends Thursday at 7 p.m., as the Vikings open Big Sky Conference play against one of the teams the Vikings would have shared the title with last season – Weber State. The Wildcats have won conference titles after each of the past two seasons. They swept the conference regular-season and tournament titles during the 2021 winter season, then shared the regular-season title with Northern Colorado last season before losing to the Bears in the Big Sky championship match.
 
And if that weren't enough to add a little extra sauce to the Vikings' Big Sky Conference opener, the Wildcats also eliminated the Vikings in the second round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) last season.
 
So, the Wildcats seem an appropriate opponent against which the Vikings can release their 10 months of anticipation.
 
The Vikings head into conference play on a hot streak, having hit .263 or better in their three wins out of their past four matches. The Vikings have also held their opponent to under .200 hitting in each of their past four matches, though that included a match in which the Vikings out-hit their opponent, the University of Portland, .224-to-.190 and yet still lost in four sets.
 
That match against the Pilots gave the Vikings a touch of humility, which could be useful heading into Big Sky play. The Vikings responded well to it already, as they came back two days later to beat Seattle U in four sets last Saturday. The match against the Redhawks was eerily similar to the match against the Pilots, as the Vikings found themselves tied, 1-1, after two sets when they likely should have been up 2-0. However, instead of falling into a funk like they might have done against the Pilots, the Vikings responded with dominant wins in the third and fourth sets to close out the match.
 
Sophia Meyers and Parker Webb gave the Vikings a dynamic 1-2 punch against the Redhawks. Meyers set a new career high with 23 kills on a career-best .400 hitting while adding 13 digs for her fifth double-double of the season. Webb recorded her first double-double of the season with season highs for kills (18) and digs (11) while hitting .378 against the Redhawks.
 
Those two have been integral in the Vikings' resurgence offensively over their past four matches. Meyers has been everywhere during that time, as she's averaged 4.00 kills and 3.00 digs per set during the stretch while also adding 0.50 blocks and 0.43 aces per set. Webb, meanwhile, has averaged 3.57 kills per set on .386 hitting over the team's last four matches, when she's also recorded 0.43 aces per set.
 
As a team, the Vikings are hitting .267 with 14.5 kills per set in their last four matches, which has been a stark contrast to how they started the year. Through their first seven matches, the Vikings were hitting just .155 with 11.0 kills per set. Webb, especially, was struggling early in the season as she averaged just 1.63 kills per set on .094 hitting through the team's first seven matches.
 
The Wildcats will of course challenge the Vikings' hot streak, just as they've always done when the teams square off. Weber State opened the season with a 3-0 weekend at their home tournament, sweeping UC Riverside in their first match before winning in four sets over Southern Utah and San Jose State. The Vikings and Wildcats also share an opponent in Utah State, as the Vikings lost to the Aggies in four sets on Sept. 9 while the Wildcats took the Aggies to five sets before losing at home this past Saturday.
 
Individually, the Wildcats returned last season's Big Sky MVP in Dani Richins (formerly Dani Nay), who ranks second on the team with 2.69 kills per set. The team's three other All-Big Sky first-team selections from last season – Rylin Adams, Ashlyn Power and Sam Schiess – have all graduated out of the program, however.
 
The Wildcats reloaded with a strong freshmen class, two of whom are already leading the Wildcats in various categories. Ashley Gneiting leads the Wildcats with 2.72 kills per set, just ahead of Richins, while Saane Katoa has led a standout Wildcat block. Katoa ranks second in the Big Sky with 1.26 blocks per set individually, while the Wildcats lead the conference with 2.49 blocks per set as a team.
 
Of course, Thursday's match up against the Wildcats will be just one out of 16 during the Vikings' conference schedule. Regardless of the outcome, the Vikings will have to move on quickly, especially this week as they hit the road for a match at Eastern Washington Saturday at 7 p.m.
 
The Eagles are in their first year under new head coach Jon Haruguchi, who was the associate head coach at Northern Colorado last season when they won the Big Sky tournament title as well as a share of the regular-season title.
 
The Eagles come out of non-conference play ranked well offensively, as they stand fourth in the Big Sky Conference for hitting percentage (.208), while also ranking third in both kills per set (12.3) and assists per set (11.4). The Eagles are also one of the strongest serving teams in the conference, as they stand second with 1.77 aces per set.
 
It was serving that humbled the Vikings against the Pilots last Thursday. The Pilots tied a season high for a Viking opponent with 13 aces in the match, which helped make up for the Vikings' advantage in hitting percentage.
 
So, Saturday could be just as tricky for the Vikings as their match against the Wildcats. After all, it's been a 10-month wait for the Vikings to get back to conference play, but now that they're here, the Big Sky schedule means a nine-week slog through 16 tough, competitive matches.
 
That slog starts Thursday, and the Vikings can't wait.
 

MATCH #1: PORTLAND STATE (5-6, 0-0) vs. WEBER STATE (6-5, 0-0)

LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
DETAILS: Thursday, Sept. 22, 7 p.m. PT, Portland, Ore. (Viking Pavilion)
SCOUTING WEBER STATE: The Weber State Wildcats head into Big Sky play as the two-time defending Big Sky regular-season champions. The Wildcats eliminated the Vikings in the second round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship last season, after the teams split their regular-season series with both teams winning at home. During their non-conference schedule, the Wildcats went 3-0 at their home tournament, sweeping UC Riverside to open the season and then winning in four sets over Southern Utah and San Jose State. The Wildcats also have wins over St. John's, Gonzaga and Utah Valley during the preseason, and share a common opponent with the Vikings in Utah State. The Wildcats erased a 2-0 deficit to force a fifth set against a Utah State team that beat the Vikings in four sets, but ultimately fell 15-13 in the final frame. Statistically, the Wildcats represent possibly the best defensive team in the Big Sky Conference this season. They lead the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.171) and blocks per set (2.49), and rank third in the conference for digs per set (15.2). Saane Katoa ranks second in the Big Sky with 1.26 blocks per set, while Emma Mangum stands seventh with 0.98 blocks per set. Offensively, the Wildcats stand third in the Big Sky for hitting percentage (.221) while ranking fifth in both kills per set (12.1) and assists per set (11.2). Ashley Gneiting and Dani Richins lead the Wildcats with 2.72 and 2.69 kills per set, respectively. Richins returns for the Wildcats after being named the Big Sky Conference MVP last season, when she was playing under her maiden name of Dani Nay. Baylee Bodily ranks third on the team with 2.34 kills per set while she leads the Wildcats and the Big Sky Conference with a .358 hitting percentage. Katoa ranks sixth in the Big Sky with a .322 hitting percentage while averaging 1.42 kills per set. Setter Kate Standifird ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 9.74 assists per set, while libero Makayla Sorensen stands fifth in the conference with 3.63 digs per set.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Wildcats 39-22. The Wildcats have won the majority of matches recently, however. The Vikings' 3-1 win over the Wildcats on Oct. 30 last season stands as the team's only win in their last eight matches against Weber State.
 

MATCH #2: PORTLAND STATE (5-6, 0-0) vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON (5-7, 0-0)

LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
DETAILS: Saturday, Sept. 24, 7 p.m. PT, Cheney, Wash. (Reese Court)
SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eastern Washington Eagles are in their first year under new head coach Jon Haruguchi, who spent the past six seasons on the coaching staff at Northern Colorado, including the last two as associate head coach. Haruguchi and the Eagles were on the road a lot during non-conference play, as they played tournaments in Memphis, Tenn., Brooking, S.D., Boise, Idaho, and Nacogdoches, Texas. The Eagles are coming off their best week of the preseason, as they went 2-1 at the Hampton Inn Classic in Nacogdoches, Texas. The Eagles posted wins over Arkansas State and Texas A&M University – Commerce, while losing in three sets to Stephen F. Austin. Statistically, the Eagles rank well offensively, as they stand fourth in the Big Sky Conference for hitting percentage (.208), while also ranking third in both kills per set (12.3) and assists per set (11.4). The Eagles are also one of the strongest serving teams in the conference, as they stand second with 1.77 aces per set. Individually, Sage Brustad ranks second in the Big Sky with 3.87 kills per set. Alyssa Radke stands second on the team with 2.57 kills per set, while Sadie Bacon ranks third with 2.17 kills per set. Brustad also leads the Eagles with 0.45 aces per set, an average that ranks her second in the Big Sky and 90th in the nation. Bacon has joined Brustad in the top 10 of the Big Sky Conference, as she ranks eighth with 0.38 aces per set. Setter Lindsey Russell ranks third in the conference with 9.83 aces per set. Defensively, the Eagles rank seventh in the Big Sky in opponent hitting percentage (.210), as well as sixth in digs per set (14.2) and ninth in blocks per set (1.81). Libero Makenna Collins leads the Eagles with 3.53 digs per set, while Renata Lopez Morales leads the team with 0.93 blocks per set.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Eagles, 33-29. The Vikings won their only meeting last season, as they swept the Eagles on the road on Oct. 1. The Eagles beat the Vikings in a pair of five-setters the previous season, as the teams played back-to-back matches on Feb. 7 and 8 during the COVID-altered 2021 winter season.
 

STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS

• The Vikings have won three of their last four matches behind an offense that has found its groove. The Vikings have hit .267 combined against their last four opponents while averaging 14.5 kills per set. That's a large jump from the team's first seven matches when they hit .155 while averaging 11.0 kills per set.
• The Vikings have hit over .200 in each of their past four matches while holding their opponents to under .200 on the other side of the net. The Vikings have outhit their opponents by at least 100 percentage points in three of their past four matches. The one exception was the Vikings' four-set loss to rival University of Portland, though the Vikings still outhit the Pilots, .224-to-.190, in the match.
• Sophia Meyers and Parker Webb were each named to the All-Tournament Team at the Portland North Marriott Invitational, hosted by the University of Portland, last weekend. Meyers averaged 4.75 kills and 3.25 digs per set at the tournament while hitting .284. Webb, meanwhile, averaged 3.25 kills and 0.50 aces per set while hitting .333. Meyers set a new career high with 23 kills on a career-best .400 hitting in the Vikings' 3-1 win over Seattle U Saturday. Webb also had a strong match against the Redhawks, setting season highs for kills (18) and digs (11) while hitting .378.
• Ellie Snook set a four-set season high with 20 digs in the Vikings' win over Seattle U Saturday. She led a Viking defense that had four players finish in double figures for digs for just the third time this season.
• Portland State set a season high with 13 aces against Seattle U, and now have three different players ranked in the top 10 of the Big Sky Conference in aces per set. Parker Webb ranks fifth in the conference with 0.41 aces per set, while Ellie Snook ranks right behind her at sixth with 0.39 aces per set. Sophia Meyers joins them at 10th in the Big Sky with 0.35 aces per set.
• The Vikings have played an extremely tough non-conference schedule that has featured five teams that won at least 20 matches last season. The six teams to beat the Vikings so far are a combined 46-14, and seven of those losses have come against ranked teams.
• Sophia Meyers ranks seventh in the Big Sky with 3.20 kills per set, though she's been even better over the team's last four matches when she's averaged 4.00 kills and 3.00 digs per set.
• Parker Webb moved up to second in Division I program history in both career kills (1,222) and career aces (129) during the Vikings' match against Seattle U. Webb already broke the Division I program record for matches played (127) and will set the record for sets played if she plays in at least six more sets. Webb also stands second in Division I program history for points (1,481.5) and stands third in attempts (3,490).
• Ellie Snook passed Eavi Shovlin (1994-97) for second in career digs across all eras of the Vikings' program. She now has 1,764 career digs, leaving her needing only 88 more to break the record Kasimira Clark set at 1,851 in 2014.  
• The Vikings played in a 5-1 for all but the final few points of the first set of their match against Seattle U Saturday. The Vikings have predominately played in a 6-2 formation this season, with Ella Hartford usually being the second option at setter behind Friebel. Teniyah Leuluai alternated with Friebel instead of Hartford at the Borderland Invitational on Sept. 2-3.
• Portland State won its first match over a Pac-12 opponent since 2017 while picking up its first win over Oregon State since 1990 with a 3-1 win over the Beavers on Aug. 27 at the Hotel Vance Rose City Showdown. It's only the sixth win for the Vikings out of 50 matches against Pac-12 opponents during the program's Division I era.
• The Vikings hosted both Oregon and Oregon State on the opening weekend of the season, the first time they've hosted both in-state Pac-12 programs in a season since 2010. The Vikings also played the University of Portland this past Thursday, making this season the first time since 2005 that the Vikings have played all three of the other in-state NCAA Division I programs.
• The Vikings added six newcomers this season, including three Division I transfers in Ashlyn Blotzer (Eastern Washington), Madison Friebel (Butler) and Sophia Meyers (Montana). Blotzer comes to the Vikings after earning All-Big Sky second-team honors with the Eagles following each of the past two seasons. Friebel, meanwhile, was a two-year starting setter at Butler, while Meyers led the Grizzlies in kills during her lone season there during the COVID-altered 2021 winter season. The Vikings added a fourth transfer in Ella Hartford from William Jessup, an NAIA school. Freshmen Kendra Duffey and Danica Wulf, club teammates for Tstreet Volleyball Club, joined the Vikings following their prep careers.
• The Vikings are coming off their first 20-win season since 2017, as they went 20-11 overall last season. Their 12-4 conference record last season was also their best Big Sky mark since going 17-3 in 2013.
• The Vikings returned five starters off last year's team in outside hitters Makayla Lewis, Zoe McBride and Parker Webb, middle blocker Ashleigh Barto, and libero Ellie Snook. Lewis, Snook and Webb were all All-Big Sky first-team selections last season. Lewis was also named the Big Sky's Top Newcomer, while Snook earned her second straight Big Sky Libero of the Year honor.

 

OFFENSIVE GROOVE

The Vikings have found their rhythm offensively in their past four matches as they head into Big Sky play. The Vikings have hit .263 or better in all three of their wins in that four-match span, and still hit .224 in their lone recent loss. All told, the Vikings are averaging 14.5 kills per set on .267 hitting in their last four matches. That's a stark contrast to how the Vikings started the year, as they hit .155 while averaging just 11.0 kills per set through their first seven matches of the season. Sophia Meyers and Parker Webb have both emerged in the last four matches. Meyers has averaged an even 4.00 kills and 3.00 digs per set in addition to 0.50 blocks and 0.43 aces per set over the team's last four matches. Webb, meanwhile, has averaged 3.57 kills per set on .386 hitting to go with 0.64 blocks and 0.43 aces per set. Zoe McBride and Makayla Lewis have alternated as the third option for the Viking offense during the recent stretch. McBride has averaged 2.55 kills and 2.82 digs per set during the team's last four matches, which included a double-double of 11 kills and 12 digs in the Vikings' 3-0 sweep of Cal Poly. Lewis, meanwhile, has averaged 2.20 kills and 3.40 digs per set in the team's last four matches, though she's played just five sets during that stretch.
 

ACE IN THE HOLE

The Vikings experienced opposite extremes from the end line last weekend. The University of Portland tied a season high for a Viking opponent with 13 aces in the Pilots' 3-1 win over the Vikings last Thursday. But the Vikings followed up with a season-high 13 aces of their own two days later in their 3-1 win over Seattle U. Overall, serving has been a strength for the Vikings as they rank fourth in the Big Sky and 99th in the NCAA with 1.68 aces per set as a team. Three different Vikings rank in the top 10 of the Big Sky Conference for aces per set. Parker Webb leads the group with 0.41 aces per set to rank fifth in the conference, while Ellie Snook stands right behind her at sixth with 0.39 aces per set. Sophia Meyers joins them at 10th in the conference with 0.35 aces per set. Webb and Snook both moved up the all-time rankings within Division I program history during the Vikings' match against Seattle U last Saturday. Webb passed Sarah Sirianni (2003-06) for second in Division I program history with her 129th-career ace during the match against the Redhawks. Snook, meanwhile, moved into a tie for fifth with Marija Vojnovic (2006-09) with her 110th-career ace.
 

ALL ABOUT THE DEFENSE

It should come as no surprise, considering it's a perennial point of emphasis from head coach Michael Seemann, that the Vikings' defense has been at its best in the team's wins this season. The Vikings are 5-2 when they hold their opponent to under .200 hitting in a match, and 5-1 when they outhit their opponent. The Vikings outhit the University of Portland last Thursday despite losing in four sets, but have otherwise been able to close the door when their defense gives them an advantage in a match. The Vikings have held their past four opponents to under .200 hitting, in fact, including two matches below .150. Digging the ball better has helped fuel the Viking defense. They've averaged 16.0 digs per set in their last four matches, nearly two full digs per set better than their average through their first seven matches of the season when they averaged 14.1 digs per set. Libero Ellie Snook set her four-set season high with 20 digs in the Vikings' win over Seattle U last Saturday and has moved up to second in the Big Sky with 4.02 digs per set across all matches this season. The Vikings' block, meanwhile, had two of its strongest matches in their sweeps over North Texas on Sept. 10 and Cal Poly on Sept. 11. The Vikings recorded 10 blocks against North Texas, and then another eight against Cal Poly. Ashlyn Blotzer and Ashleigh Barto have both averaged more than 1.00 blocks per set during the team's last four matches. Blotzer has the slight edge at 1.08 blocks per set, but Barto is right behind her at 1.07.
 

SOPHIA MANIA

Like Makayla Lewis last year, Sophia Meyers has made an immediate impact in her first year on the Park Blocks. Meyers has made the past two all-tournament teams, the most recent being the Portland North Marriott Invitational All-Tournament Team, which she made after averaging 4.75 kills and 3.25 digs per set while hitting .284 in the team's matches against the University of Portland and Seattle U. Meyers also made the Asics Invitational All-Tournament Team after averaging 4.14 kills and 2.87 digs per set while hitting .256 and adding four aces in the Vikings' matches against Utah State and North Texas. Meyers now ranks seventh in the Big Sky with 3.20 kills per set, and also stands 10th in aces per set (0.35) and sixth in points per set (3.71). Meyers has five double-doubles already this season, including two straight heading into Big Sky play. Meyers' latest double-double came in a career match for her last Saturday against Seattle U. The Viking newcomer set a new career high with 23 kills on a career-best .400 hitting, while also adding 13 digs, two aces and two blocks.
 

WEBB SLINGER

Spider-Man, or Spider-Woman, in our universe goes by the name of Parker Webb. Not Peter Parker. Parker Webb has broken through in the Vikings' last four matches, a stretch in which she's averaging 3.57 kills per set on .386 hitting. The sixth-year senior made the Portland North Marriott Invitational All-Tournament Team last weekend after setting season highs for kills (18) and digs (11) while hitting .378 in the Vikings' four-set win over Seattle U last Saturday. That match came just six days after Webb set her previous season high with 15 kills on .619 hitting in the team's 3-0 sweep of Cal Poly on Sept. 11. Webb's match against Cal Poly marked just the second time in her career that she's hit over .600 while recording at least 12 kills in a match. The Seattle U match was also special for Webb as she moved up to second in Division I program history in both career kills and career aces during the match. Webb broke the Division I program record for matches played the match before, and will break the record for sets played when she plays in six more sets. All told, Webb ranks second in Division I program history in kills (1,222), aces (129) and points (1,481.5), while ranking third in attempts (3,490) and 10th in hitting percentage (.237). Webb has especially been on fire from the service line this season, however. She leads the Vikings with 17 aces this season and ranks fifth in the Big Sky with 0.41 aces per set.
 

ELLIE SNOOK – CAREER RECORD CHASE

Ellie Snook joined elite company last season 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. Now, she turns her sights on the Portland State career record for digs, something she could reach in the Vikings' next five matches or sooner. Snook passed Eavi Shovlin (1994-97) for second across all eras of program history during the Vikings' match against the University of Portland last Thursday. With 20 more digs Saturday against Seattle U, Snook now needs only 88 more digs to break Kasimira Clark's career record of 1,851 digs that Clark set in 2014. Snook already holds the career record for digs per set, and owns the record by some margin. Snook's 5.10 digs-per-set average is well ahead of Clark's average of 4.27 digs per set, which ranks second all time. Snook has also moved up the career rankings for aces, a season after she set the single-season school records for aces (50) and aces per set (0.42). Snook now ranks tied for fifth in Division I program history with 110 career aces. With three more aces this weekend, she'll move up to fourth all time, passing Nique Fradella (2006-09).
 

MAK ATTACK

The Big Sky's Top Newcomer last year, Makayla Lewis returned to the Vikings' rotation last weekend after sitting the previous two matches. Lewis showed signs of being back in form in last Saturday's win over Seattle U, as she recorded seven kills, 12 digs and a pair of service aces against the Redhawks. Lewis also has two matches with 20+ kills earlier in the season. Lewis posted her second 20-kill match in the Vikings' five-set road win over UTEP, against whom Lewis finished with 20 kills on .286 hitting while adding eight digs and a career-high five blocks. Lewis also had a double-double of 15 kills and 11 digs to go with three blocks in the Vikings' four-set loss to South Dakota hours before the Vikings played UTEP at the Borderland Invitational. It was Lewis' second double-double of the season so far, as well as the 21st of her career. For the season, Lewis ranks eighth in the Big Sky with 3.55 kills per set, while also averaging 2.47 digs, 0.47 blocks and 0.28 aces per set. Lewis also ended last season on a hot streak, as she averaged 3.55 kills and 2.95 digs per set in conference play. Nine of Lewis' 14 double-doubles last season came against Big Sky opponents, including eight in the team's final 12 conference matches of the season.
 

MCBRIDE ORDERS UP THE MCDOUBLE

Fifth-year senior Zoe McBride has started the last four matches for the Vikings, a stretch that included her first double-double of the season with 11 kills and 12 digs in the Vikings' 3-0 sweep of Cal Poly on Sept. 11. McBride has made use of her four recent starts, as she's averaged 2.55 kills and 2.82 digs per set during the stretch. Her passing helped the Vikings go perfect in terms of serve receive against North Texas on Sept. 10, while the Vikings have also hit .263 or better in three of their past four matches.
 

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

It was a familiar top three in the Big Sky preseason coaches poll. The Vikings were picked to finish third, the same spot they finished last season when they placed a game behind co-regular-season champions Northern Colorado and Weber State. Northern Colorado, which went on to win the Big Sky tournament last season, topped the poll with 78 points after receiving first-place votes from six of the other nine teams in the conference. Weber State finished second with 70 points and two first-place votes, while the Vikings finished third with 66 points and one first-place vote.
 

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Sept. 17, 2022, Portland State 3, Seattle U 1: Parker Webb moved up to second in Division I program history in both career kills and career aces during the match. Sophia Meyers set a career high with 23 kills on a career-best .400 hitting percentage, while Webb set season highs for kills (18) and digs (11) while hitting .378.
Sept. 11, 2022, Portland State 3, Cal Poly 0: The Vikings set a season high for hitting percentage for the second straight match while also recording their second straight sweep. The Vikings hit .324 against the Mustangs while sixth-year senior Parker Webb set an individual season high with 15 kills on .619 hitting – only the second time she's hit over .600 while finishing with at least 12 kills in a match in her career.
Sept. 10, 2022, Portland State 3, North Texas 0: The Vikings recorded their first sweep of the season with a 3-0 win over North Texas. The Vikings hit a season-high .274 against the Mean Green while holding North Texas to .124 hitting themselves behind 10 blocks.
Sept. 2, 2022, Portland State 3, UTEP 2: The Vikings avenged a home loss to UTEP last season by beating the Miners at their home tournament, the Borderland Invitational. The victory gave the Vikings a win over a team that went 24-8 overall and advanced to the semifinals of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
Aug. 27, 2022, Portland State 3, Oregon State 1: The Vikings recorded their first win over Oregon State since 1990, as well as their first win over a Pac-12 opponent since 2017 by handling the Beavers at home. The Vikings had been just 5-43 all time against Pac-12 opponents since becoming a Division I program, but won their sixth match against the Beavers.