FIRST SERVE
The Portland State volleyball team enters the Big Sky Tournament Monday with a quarterfinal matchup against second-seeded Sacramento State. First serve will be at 3 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. MT at Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley, Colo.
 
The Vikings will look to reverse their recent momentum at the tournament. They lost their last four matches of the regular season, including a pair of sweeps at Idaho and Eastern Washington this past Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
 
The Vikings weren't fully healthy for either match last week. Leading attacker Alivia Eikenberg was held out of both matches, while the Vikings lost starting middle blocker Reese Biesemeyer to an ankle injury early in the second set against Eastern Washington. Add in the fact that the Vikings have been without starting right-side hitter Willow Watson since their first match against Sacramento State this season on Oct. 3, and the Vikings were suddenly out three starters at points last week.
 
Back when the Vikings were closer to full health – they still won't have Watson at the tournament – they put in a worthy challenge against the Hornets on the road on Nov. 14. The Hornets won the match in four sets, but two of the three sets the Vikings lost went past 25 points. That included a 30-28 fourth set that was decided when a lift call and red card were called on the Vikings to break a 28-all tie.
 
The Viking defense put in one of its best performances in that road match against the Hornets. The Vikings became just the second Big Sky team to hold the Hornets' conference-leading offense to under .200 hitting. The Hornets hit just .191 against the Vikings in the match while the Vikings ceded only three aces to the Hornets.
 
That was no small feat against a Hornet team that dominated both categories within Big Sky play. The Hornets hit .265 against Big Sky opponents this season, 38 percentage points better than No. 2-ranked team, Northern Arizona, at .227. The Hornets also recorded 35 more aces during the conference season than any other Big Sky team.
 
The Vikings will need their block to be at their best if they hope to slow the Sacramento State offense against Monday. They tied their conference season high with 10.0 blocks in their match against the Hornets on Nov. 14. Naomi White and Brenna Coffman both had eight blocks in the match for the Vikings, tying a season high for White and setting a career high for Coffman.
 
The block has been a strong indicator for the Vikings. When they've performed well at the net, they've tended to do well. Besides their match at Sacramento State, the Vikings also had nine blocks in a 3-1 win over Northern Colorado on Nov. 6. That fueled a defensive performance in which the Vikings held the Bears to .151 hitting, the Bears' lowest hitting percentage in over a month at the time.
 
But last week, the Vikings recorded only six blocks combined while getting swept at Idaho and Eastern Washington.
 
Of course, the Vikings were also missing a lot of their offense last week without Eikenberg. When she last played against Sacramento State on Nov. 14, Eikenberg led the Vikings with 24 kills. That was her fourth 20-kill match of the season, as well as her third in Big Sky play. Eikenberg averaged 4.25 kills per set within Big Sky play, second only to Sacramento State's Victoria Marthaler, who averaged 5.65 kills per set against Big Sky opponents.
 
The Viking offense had its best run of the season from Oct. 16 to Nov. 6, when the Vikings went 5-2 behind an offense that averaged 14.2 kills per set on .242 hitting. Setter Ava Blascziek averaged 8.90 assists per set during that stretch. Eikenberg and Tyra Schaub led the team's attackers with 4.17 and 3.17 kills per set, respectively, while the Vikings also added production out of White in the middle. From Oct. 16 to Nov. 6, White averaged 2.33 kills per set on .438 hitting. That included four straight matches with 10+ kills for White, the longest such streak of her career.
 
The Vikings beat fellow Big Sky Tournament teams Montana State (3-2 on Oct. 16), Idaho State (3-1 on Nov. 1) and Northern Colorado (3-1 on Nov. 6) during that run. But the Vikings' current streak of four straight matches started immediately after.
 
If the Vikings can return to the form they showed earlier in the month when they beat Northern Colorado, then Monday's quarterfinal could lead to a semifinal match Tuesday and maybe even a title match Wednesday.
 
But the first hurdle would be getting healthy in a hurry.
 
MATCH #28: #7 PORTLAND STATE (11-16, 7-9) vs. #2 SACRAMENTO STATE (19-9, 12-4)
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
DETAILS: Monday, Nov. 24, 3 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. MT, Greeley, Colo. (Bank of Colorado Arena)
SCOUTING SACRAMENTO STATE: The Sacramento State Hornets started Big Sky play 2-3. Since then, they won 10 of their last 11 matches to secure the second seed at the Big Sky Tournament. The Hornets won both of their regular-season meetings with the Vikings, beating PSU in four sets both times. The Hornets hit .322 against the Vikings on Oct. 3, still a season high for a Viking opponent. Victoria Marthaler recorded 28 kills on .397 hitting to go with 14 digs in the match, while Ashlyn Archer had 12 kills on .500 hitting. The Viking defense played a lot better in the teams' second meeting, holding Sacramento State to .191 hitting as well as only three aces over four sets. Both were no small victories against a Hornet team that leads the Big Sky Conference in both hitting percentage (.255) and aces per set (1.85). The Hornets have widened their lead in both categories within Big Sky play. Their .265 hitting percentage against Big Sky opponents is 38 percentage points better than the No. 2 team (Northern Arizona, .227). Additionally, they recorded 35 more aces during the conference season than any other Big Sky team. Individually, Marthaler had a standout conference season, leading the Hornets and the conference with 5.65 kills per set during Big Sky play. Archer, meanwhile, led the conference with .405 hitting percentage within Big Sky play when she averaged 2.45 kills per set to rank second to Marthaler on the Hornets' team. Setter Kate Doorn led the Big Sky with 0.48 aces per set within Big Sky play, while also ranking second with 10.1 assists per set during the conference season. Libero Reese Ampi ranked fourth in the Big Sky with 4.29 digs per set during the conference season. She also ranked fifth in the conference with 0.35 aces per set against Big Sky opponents.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Hornets lead the all-time series between them and the Vikings, 56-28. They've won the last five in a row, including both matches earlier this season. The Hornets have also won three of the teams' five meetings at the Big Sky tournament, including a 3-1 win in last year's quarterfinals.  
 
QUICK HITTERS
Vikings at the Big Sky Tournament

• The Vikings won the Big Sky tournament in 2008 and 2010. They've made the championship match seven times (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2022). They've exited in the semifinals six times (2004, 2005, 2006, 2012, 2017 and 2021).
• The Vikings are 11-17 all-time at the Big Sky tournament.
• The Vikings have exited in the first round of the Big Sky tournament in each of the past two tournaments (2023, 2024).
• The Vikings last won as the lower seed at the Big Sky tournament in 2017 when they were the fifth seed and beat fourth-seeded Northern Arizona, 3-1, in the quarterfinals.
• The Vikings are 2-3 against Sacramento State at the tournament. The Vikings won in 2011 (3-1 in the semifinals) and 2021 (3-2 in the quarterfinals). The Hornets won in 2007 (3-0 in the championship), 2017 (3-1 in the semifinals) and 2024 (3-1 in the quarterfinals). All Hornet victories have been in Sacramento.

 
Recent Matches

• The Vikings go into the Big Sky tournament on a four-match losing streak. The four-match losing streak followed the Vikings' best stretch of the season from Oct. 16-Nov. 6 when the Vikings were 5-2 including wins over fellow tournament teams Montana State (Oct. 16), Idaho State (Nov. 1, on the road) and Northern Colorado (Nov. 6).
• The Vikings dropped a pair of 3-0 matches to Idaho and Eastern Washington, the two bottom teams in the Big Sky standings last week. The Vikings were without leading attacker Alivia Eikenberg for both matches, while they lost starting middle blocker Reese Biesemeyer early in the second set of their match against Eastern Washington Friday.
• Both Idaho and Eastern Washington set season highs for hitting percentage against the Vikings last week. Idaho hit .274 in their win over the Vikings Wednesday, while Eastern Washington hit .245 Friday.
• After tying their conference season high with 10.0 blocks against Sacramento State on Nov. 14, the Vikings totaled only 6.0 blocks across their six sets last week. The Vikings ranked last in the Big Sky with 1.52 blocks per set in conference matches.
• The Vikings dropped the first set of their match against Eastern Washington, 26-24. That was the fourth straight set that went to extra points that the Vikings have lost. The Vikings are 7-11 in extra-point sets this season, as well as 15-18 in sets decided by two points.
• The Vikings were held to under .200 hitting in three of their last four matches of the regular season. The one exception was their regular season finale against Eastern Washington Friday in which the Vikings hit .216. Idaho held the Vikings to .142 hitting Wednesday.
• The Vikings ended the regular season with three straight road matches. They were 3-8 in road matches this season and 2-6 in Big Sky play on the road.

 
Players
#2 Paige Stepaniuk

• Paige Stepaniuk was a three-time Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week during the regular season. She averaged 4.50 digs per set within Big Sky play, the third-best average within the conference.
• Stepaniuk reached 1,000 career digs in the third set of the Vikings' win at Idaho State on Nov. 1. Her 18 digs against Northern Colorado on Nov. 6 also moved her past current assistant coach Diana Villalpando (2007-10) and Garyn Schlatter (2010-13) for seventh all-time during the program's Big Sky era (1996-present). She needs 42 digs to pass Nicole Bateham (2008-110 for sixth all-time.
• Stepaniuk is averaging a career-best 4.10 digs per set across the whole season, ranking her fourth in the Big Sky Conference. Stepaniuk has four matches with 25 or more digs since Oct. 16, including two back-to-back in November. She had 26 digs against Northern Arizona on Nov. 8, then followed with 25 digs at Sacramento State on Nov. 14.  

 
#18 Alivia Eikenberg

• Freshman Alivia Eikenberg recorded 10+ kills in the 14 Big Sky matches that she played in. Additionally, three of her four 20-kills matches this season came within Big Sky play, including 24 kills against Sacramento State on Nov. 14.
• Eikenberg did not play in either match last weekend.
• Eikenberg has 15 doubles-doubles this season, one shy of the freshman record of 16 that Melissa Osterloh set in 2004. The overall single-season record during the current 25-point scoring format (2008-present) stands at 19, which Whitney Phillips set in 2010.
• Eikenberg ranks third in the Big Sky in kills (3.82) and points (4.20) per set this season. Within Big Sky play, Eikenberg averaged 4.25 kills per set, ranking her second in the conference, to go with 2.86 digs per set.
• Eikenberg set her season and career high with 28 kills against Eastern Washington on Oct. 23, the most kills by a Viking since Whitney Phillips also had 28 against Montana State on Sept. 17, 2010.

 
#24 Tyra Schaub

• Senior Tyra Schaub posted a career match on her Senior Night, recording 19 kills on .209 hitting – one kill off her career high – while adding a career-high 20 digs against Northern Arizona on Nov. 8.
• Schaub recorded 10+ kills in 12 of the Vikings' 16 Big Sky Conference matches. She averaged 3.13 kills per set on .194 hitting within Big Sky play, while also adding 2.62 digs and 0.36 aces per set. Her 0.36 aces per set within Big Sky play rank her fourth in the conference.
• Schaub came into the season with only two matches with 10+ kills in her career. The Vikings went 9-6 in the 15 matches in which she had 10+ kills this season.
• Schaub is averaging career bests for kills (2.77), digs (2.45) and aces (0.27) per set this season. She's set career highs for kills (20 vs. Montana State, Oct. 16), digs (20 vs. Northern Arizona, Nov. 8), aces (4 vs. Montana State, Oct. 16) and points (24.5 vs. Montana State, Oct. 16).

 
#23 Ava Blascziek

• During the Vikings' best stretch of the season – their 5-2 record between Oct. 16 and Nov. 6 – setter Ava Blascziek averaged 8.90 assists and 2.30 digs per set. She had four double-doubles during that stretch, including career highs for assists (51 vs. Idaho, Oct. 25), digs (16 vs. Montana, Oct. 18) kills (4 at Idaho State, Nov. 1) and aces (3 at Idaho State, Nov. 1).
• Blascziek led the Vikings to .200+ hitting in six of their seven matches between Oct. 16 and Nov. 6, but just one of the four matches since then.
• Blascziek ranks seventh in the Big Sky Conference with 6.86 assists per set over the entire season.
• Head coach Michael Seemann has repeatedly called Blascziek the "most competitive" player on the Vikings' team.

 
#8 Naomi White

• Middle blocker Naomi White has hit .350 or better with at least eight kills in seven of the Vikings' last 11 matches of the season. That stretch started when White set a career-high with 16 kills against Montana State on Oct. 16. It also includes a career-best .522 hitting percentage when she had 13 kills against Montana on Oct. 18.
• During the Vikings' best stretch of the season from Oct. 16 to Nov. 6, White averaged 2.33 kills per set on .438 hitting. She went into double figures in four straight matches, her longest streak of 10+ kills in her career.
• White was held to just one block in each match last week against Idaho and Eastern Washington. She tied her season high with eight blocks against Sacramento State on Nov. 14, however, while the Vikings tied their conference season high with 10.0 blocks as a team.
• White ranks seventh in the Big Sky with a .340 hitting percentage this season. She also ranks eighth in the conference with 1.03 blocks per set.

 
#3 Brenna Coffman

• Freshman Brenna Coffman played both as a right side and a middle blocker for the Vikings over the last four weekends of the regular season.
• Since Nov. 1, she's set career highs for kills (8), digs (9), blocks (8) and points (9, twice).
• She set career highs for kills in back-to-back matches. She had seven kills on .217 hitting against Idaho State on Nov. 1, then topped that with eight kills on .190 hitting against Northern Colorado on Nov. 6.
• She had five kills on .250 hitting to go with eight blocks against Sacramento State on Nov. 14. The eight blocks set a new career high for the freshman, who helped lead the Vikings to 10.0 blocks as a team, tying their conference season high.

 
#19 Ashley Repetti

• Freshman Ashley Repetti started both matches last week with fellow freshman Alivia Eikenberg unavailable.
• Repetti recorded six kills on .150 hitting against Idaho Wednesday, then topped that with a career-high nine kills on .429 hitting against Eastern Washington Friday.

 
#21 Reese Biesemeyer

• Reese Biesemeyer came on late in the first set against Northern Arizona on Nov. 8 and recorded career highs for both kills (12) and hitting percentage (.500) against the Lumberjacks.
• Biesemeyer heads into the tournament ranked 10th in the Big Sky Conference with a .314 hitting percentage.
• She went down with an apparent ankle injury in the second set against Eastern Washington Friday. Her availability for Monday's quarterfinal is questionable.

 
#6 Allison Panter

• Allison Panter ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 0.36 aces per set. However, she has not recorded an ace in the Vikings' last 10 matches, and only has one ace since Oct. 9.
• She recorded her first double-double of the season with 16 assists and 14 digs against Northern Arizona on Nov. 8.

 
Team Tendencies/Stats

• The Vikings ranked fourth in the Big Sky with 13.5 kills per set within conference matches. During their best stretch of the season from Oct. 16 to Nov. 6, the Vikings averaged 14.2 kills per set on .242 hitting.
• The Vikings are 8-1 this season when winning the first set compared to 3-15 when losing the first set. The Vikings only had one conference win when losing the first set, which came against Idaho on Oct. 25, when the Vikings reverse swept the Vandals at Viking Pavilion.
• The Vikings are 6-1 when holding their opponent below .200 hitting in Big Sky matches versus 1-8 when their opponent hits above .200. They lost their lone conference match when holding their opponent below .200 hitting when Sacramento State beat them last Friday despite hitting just .191. The Vikings' lone win when their opponent hit above .200 came against Idaho State on Nov. 1, when they beat the Bengals, 3-1, despite ISU hitting .222.
• The Vikings tied their conference season high with 10.0 blocks against Sacramento State on Nov. 14. However, the Vikings rank last in the Big Sky with just 1.52 blocks per set within Big Sky play. That average is down from 2.31 blocks per set during non-conference play. Some of that can be explained by the absence of Willow Watson, the Vikings' starting right-side hitter until she went down with an injury against Sacramento State on Oct. 3.
• The Vikings were out-aced in seven of their last eight matches of the season. They averaged just 0.97 aces per set over their last 10 matches. Despite that, the Vikings still finished the regular season ranked fourth in the Big Sky with 1.41 aces per set.

 
General/Preseason Info

• Head Coach Michael Seemann described his team's approach to fall camp as, "we've given up continuity for opportunity." To that end, all 16 players saw the court during the non-conference schedule. The Vikings played 12 or more players in five of their 11 non-conference matches and played 11 in three of the other six.
• The Vikings have 11 underclassmen on their 16-player roster, while the Vikings' six true freshmen represent the program's largest freshman class since 2019. Additionally, out of the three returning starters from last season, only junior libero Paige Stepaniuk has more than a year experience starting for the Vikings.
• Naomi White was named to the inaugural Preseason All-Big Sky Conference team before the start of the season. White, who was one of three middle blockers on the 10-member team, earned the honor after a breakout 2024 season in which she ranked fifth in the Big Sky in hitting percentage (.330) and ninth in blocks per set (1.04).
• The Vikings lost their top two hitters from last season – Makayla Lewis and Carisa Barron – as well as 66.5 percent of their total kills in 2024. Naomi White and Reese Biesemeyer represent the Vikings' top two returning hitters after averaging 1.96 and 1.65 kills per set, respectively.
• Head coach Michael Seemann needs seven more wins to reach 300 in his Portland State career. Whenever he reaches the milestone, he will become the third different Portland State head women's volleyball coach to reach 300 wins. Seemann will join Marlene Piper (445 wins, program record, 1969-72 & 1974-83) and Jeff Mozzochi (317 wins, 1984-92 & 2001-06).
• Big Sky coaches picked the Vikings to finish sixth in the 10-team Big Sky Conference before the start of the season. Weber State represents the Big Sky Conference favorites, topping the preseason coaches poll with five first-place votes.