PORTLAND, Ore. – After opening their season on the road for the first time in four years, the Portland State women's soccer team returns home this week to host Kansas State in their 2024 home opener on Thursday, Aug. 22. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at Hillsboro Stadium.
Admission to Hillsboro Stadium is free for all fans. The match, marking the first-ever meeting between the two programs, will be broadcast on ESPN+, with live stats also available for fans following from home (links below).
PORTLAND STATE SOCCER NOTES -- WEEK TWO
KANSAS STATE (0-1-0) AT PORTLAND STATE (0-2-0)
Thursday, Aug. 22 | 1:00pm PST | Hillsboro Stadium (Hillsboro, Ore.)
WATCH ON ESPN+ | LIVE STATS
A LOOK AT THE WILDCATS
- 2023 Record: 3-12-3 (1-8-1 Conf.)
- The Wildcats are searching for their first win of the 2024 season after suffering a 2-1 loss to Nevada in their season opener last Thursday
- Following Thursday's match against the Vikings the Wildcats will travel to Spokane to close out their road trip against Gonzaga on Sunday
- Kansas State carries a 35-player roster this season, led by five seniors: Porter List, Adah Anderson, Riley Baker, Kenzi Gillispie and Kiran Singh
- Mike Dibbini is in his ninth season as Head Coach of the Wildcats (35-87-18, .314)
VIKINGS' OPENING WEEKEND
The Vikings opened their 2024 campaign on the road last Friday with a narrow 2-1 loss to Boise State. The Broncos struck twice in the first 45 minutes, but Portland State's defense held strong, keeping them scoreless for the rest of the match. Freshman
Aliayha Saldana netted the Vikings' first goal of the season in the 57th minute, assisted by
Kainani Jacang. Despite their efforts, the Vikings couldn't find the equalizer, as Boise State secured the win. The Vikings then closed out the weekend at the University of Oregon, where the defense kept the Ducks scoreless in the first half. However, Oregon broke through with goals in the 59th and 70th minutes, resulting in a 2-0 loss for the Vikings.
2024 PORTLAND STATE COACHING STAFF
In a notable shift this off-season, former Associate Head Coach
Maureen Whitney was promoted to Co-Head Coach by
Katie Burton, who previously held the position alone. Whitney joined Portland State as an assistant coach in 2017, was elevated to Associate Head Coach the following year, and now steps into the co-head coach role alongside Burton. Both coaches are in their eighth season at PSU this fall. Additionally,
Lindsay LaMont, a former Oregon State goalkeeper and Viking assistant coach from the 2022 season, returns to the staff as a full-time assistant, working primarily with the goalkeepers.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
- The Vikings return 20 players from their 2023 roster.
- They welcome 11 newcomers, including eight true freshmen and three transfers.
- Among the returners, eight started at least 12 matches last season.
- Out of the 31 players on the roster, 17 hail from the state of Oregon.
MIGHTY MIDFIELD
- 2023 Honorable Mention All-Big Sky midfielder, Abi Hoffman, returns to the Vikings' midfield for her senior season. She tallied 18 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in 2023 which ranked second in the Big Sky, while her four assists during BSC play led the conference. She compiled a team-high 48 shots, putting 20 on target.
- Fellow senior Lucy Quinn, a 2022 Honorable Mention All-Big Sky midfielder will join Hoffman in the midfield. Quinn has started 35 of her last 36 matches and recorded three goals with two assists over the past two seasons.
- Fifth-year senior Sydney Watson rounds out the experienced group after starting all 18 matches last season, logging 1,424 minutes of action in the midfield
EXPERIENCE IN GOAL
- Upperclassmen goalkeepers Natalie Cunningham and Eden Millan split time in goal for the Vikings during week one
- The duo played a key role in the Vikings' four shutouts in 2023, with each contributing to two of them
- Cunningham led the Vikings a year ago with 58 saves, recording a 6-5-1 record and a 1.39 goals-against average
- In her first start of the 2024 season on Sunday, Millan recorded seven saves against the Ducks, setting a new career high
- Cunningham also recorded seven saves in her first start of the season, doing so against the Broncos last Thursday
YOUNG TALENT
- Three true freshmen saw action for the Vikings during the opening weekend: Aliayha Saldana, Grace Sarabia, and Sydney Spotts. Both Sarabia and Saldana started both matches.
- Saldana and sophomore Kainani Jacang teamed up for the Vikings' only goal of the season so far, with Saldana netting her first career goal and Jacang notching her first career assist
SECOND-HALF MAGIC
- The Vikings have scored 21 of their last 28 goals in the second half (20-of-27 in 2023, 1-of-1 in 2024)
- Nine of those 28 goals came with less than ten minutes remaining in regulation
- In 2023, the Vikings secured six of their eight wins with a decisive goal in the final 30 minutes of play
- Junior forward Ocean Rideout has netted three game-winning goals in her career and led the team in game-winners as a freshman in 2022
VIKINGS' 2023 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
- 8-8-2 overall, 4-2-2 BSC
- Third-place finish in final BSC regular season standings
- Most wins since 2017 (8)
- Most All-Conference honorees since 2017 (4)
- Highest win % since 2014 (.500)
- Most goals scored since 2013 (27)
- Advanced to the Big Sky tournament semifinals becoming one of only four teams in program history to win a BSC tournament match
