FARGO, N.D. — As many questions as the Portland State volleyball team has answered about its depth and resiliency among myriad injuries to key players, the answer to one question has remained elusive to the Vikings. That's the road question, as the Vikings dropped their third road match of the season Friday, losing 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-22) at North Dakota State.
 
Neither team could separate itself from the other in the first two sets at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse, but the Bison (5-2) came up with the timely plays both times to take a 2-0 lead. The Vikings (4-4) finally found some momentum late in the third set – saving four match points and outscoring the Bison 9-3 over a stretch – but by then it was too little, too late.
 
The Bison kept the Vikings out of rhythm offensively, while doing just enough on their own side of the net. The key stat came from the end line where the Bison recorded six service aces while holding the Vikings without an ace for the first time this season. The lack of an ace was especially jarring for a Viking team that just put down nine aces at home against Utah Tuesday, and had 16 aces in only three sets against Cal State Fullerton earlier in the season.

"We did not play with intent and we did not make adjustments within the sets," Portland State head coach Michael Seemann said after Friday's match. "We certainly did not win the serve and pass game, and because of that, we were unbalanced offensively. We gave them too many opportunities to play in system."
 
The differences between the Vikings' serving performances at home versus on the road has been the starkest of all statistical categories. While the Vikings have 36 aces in their four home matches this season (2.57 per set), they've recorded only eight (0.73 per set) in their three road matches. The Vikings have only one ace combined over their last two road matches, as Saint Mary's held the Vikings to only one ace in their previous road match.
 
The Vikings are also hitting .225 at home compared to .150 on the road.
 
So, the Vikings know what they still need to figure out. They'll hope that the team's run late in the third set can help shed some light on that, especially ahead of Saturday's neutral-site match against Toledo.
 
The late run featured the return of All-Big Sky first-team setter Madison Friebel, who checked in for the first time this season earlier in the third set. Friebel's presence ultimately didn't alter the outcome Friday, but the Vikings still found some more momentum with her and Ella Hartford splitting duties late in the third.
 
Before that, the Vikings could hardly string more than a couple points together Friday. Neither team led by more than three points over the entirety of the opening set, and the only three-point lead came right at the start when the Vikings opened the match with three straight points.
 
That opening 3-0 run remained the Vikings' longest run of points until a third of the way through the second set when the Vikings strung four points together. The 4-0 run got pushed to a 6-1 stretch a few points later, with Lauryn Anderson contributing a solo block and kill during the burst.
 
Still, that only gave the Vikings a 13-11 advantage. The teams traded runs from there, staying within a few points of one another until the Bison closed the set on a 5-1 run.
 
The Bison then took full control of the match with a 5-0 run that put them up seven at 19-12 in the third set. They extended that to a 21-13 lead before the Vikings finally found some momentum. The Vikings scored five of six points to get back within four at 22-18, then scored four straight after the Bison got to match point at 24-18. Sophia Meyers had two kills and a solo block during the Vikings' 9-3 stretch late. Ashleigh Barto also had kills on two of the team's four match-point saves.
 
The Bison ended up outhitting the Vikings .195-to-.154 in the match, while out-acing the Viks 6-to-0 and out-blocking them 8.0-to-6.0.
 
Meyers led the Vikings with 11 kills on .206 hitting while adding 10 digs for her fifth double-double of the season. Anderson led the team with a .375 hitting percentage while recording four kills and two solo blocks in the match.
 
The Vikings have a chance to bounce back immediately, as they face Toledo Saturday at 8 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. CT. That won't be a true road match, of course, as the teams will face each other at NDSU's Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. But it'll still give the Vikings a chance to find some answers away from home.
 
Match Notes: The Vikings still lead the all-time series between them and the Bison 10-5 despite Friday's loss…The Bison outhit and outkilled the Vikings across all three sets Friday.
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