PORTLAND, Ore. -Â The Portland State women's soccer team will close out a nearly month-long homestand by welcoming crosstown rival Portland to Hillsboro Stadium on Saturday evening (Sept. 13) at 6:00 p.m.
Saturday's contest — the first meeting between the programs since 2017 — will stream live on ESPN+, with live stats also available (links below). Admission is free for all fans, who can also enjoy giveaways. As part of the Battle of the Bridges promotion, Viking fans are encouraged to wear green.
VIKINGS SOCCER MATCH NOTES - WEEK 5
Portland (2-2-2) at Portland State (1-3-1)
Saturday, Sept. 13Â | 6:00 pm | Hillsboro, Ore. (Hillsboro Stadium)
Game links:
Watch on ESPN+ |Â Â
Live Stats
Portland enters Saturday's match with a 2-2-2 record following a challenging non-conference schedule, which included matchups against No. 4 USC and No. 18 UCLA — resulting in a tie and a loss, respectively. The Pilots have recorded wins over Long Beach State and CSUN, defeating the Matadors 1-0 in their most recent outing on Sunday, Sept. 7. While Portland has scored just three goals through six matches, the team has also posted three shutouts, anchored by redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Sophia Hills.
SERIES HISTORY VS. PORTLAND
- Saturday marks the ninth all-time meeting between the Pilots and Vikings.
- Portland State is seeking its first-ever win against Portland, trailing the series 0-8-0.
- The teams last met in 2017, when the Vikings fell 2-1 on the road.
- This will be only the second time the Vikings have hosted a match against the Pilots, with the first occurring in 2004.
LAST TIME OUT
The Vikings dropped their most recent match, 4-1, to CSUN at Hillsboro Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 4. Senior
Liv Frazier was issued a red card in the first half, forcing the Vikings to play a player down for nearly 65 minutes. Goalkeeper
Natalie Cunningham faced heavy pressure, recording 10 saves to tie her career high. The Matadors outshot the Vikings 23-12 in the contest.
MULTI-GOAL MATCHES
- Portland State has had two multi-goal outings this season—scoring twice against both Iowa State and Western Oregon—already doubling their total from 2024, when they managed just one multi-goal performance all year.
- Four different Vikings have scored goals in 2025, while two others have recorded assists.Â
- PSU recorded 26 shots with 15 on target in the win over WOU (8/24)—its highest single-game shot total since the 2023 season opener.
DIFFERENCE MAKERSÂ
- Aliayha Saldana leads the Vikings in three offensive categories: points (3 — 1 goal, 1 assist), shots (14), and shots on goal (7)
- Senior defender Liv Frazier remains a consistent force on the back line, appearing in 52Â career matches (37 starts) totaling 3,805Â minutes. She played every minute of the 2024 season (1,640 minutes) and has played the full 90 or 110 minutes in 35 of the last 36 matches, making 38 consecutive starts.
CAREER FIRSTSÂ
- Four Vikings have recorded career firsts this season: underclassmen Carmen Lewis (at Iowa State, 8/14) and Bianca Potesta (vs. Western Oregon, 8/24) each notched their first career assists, while junior Yammile Picon scored her first goal in a Viking uniform against the Wolves (8/24).
- Redshirt sophomore Finley Crabtree made her first career start for the Vikings in-goal, picking up a victory in the 2-1 result over Western Oregon (8/24)
SECOND-HALF SUCCESSÂ
- The Vikings have made a habit of finishing strong, scoring 31 of their 40 goals (78%) in the second half across the 2023 and 2024 seasons—including 11 of 13 goals (85%) in 2024 alone.
- That trend continues in 2025, with three of PSU's four goals so far coming after halftime.
- 10Â of 14 goals scored between Portland State and its opponents this season have been scored in the second half
- The Vikings are especially dangerous late, with the game-winner scored in the final 30 minutes in 9 of their last 13 victories.
- Senior forward Ocean Rideout continues to fuel the Vikings' late-game success. She scored her fourth career game-winner with under 10 minutes to play in Sunday's 2-1 win over Western Oregon (Aug. 24). Remarkably, five of her seven career goals have come in the final 12 minutes. Rideout has tallied 15 career points and has scored in each of her four seasons at PSU.
WHITNEY AT THE HELM
- Viking Head Coach Maureen Whitney is in her ninth season with the Vikings, but 2025 marks her first year as the program's solo head coach.
- She joined the Portland State program in 2017 as an assistant coach under former Head Coach Katie Burton.
- After just one season, Whitney was promoted to Associate Head Coach prior to the 2018 campaign — a role she held for six seasons.
- Ahead of the 2024 season, she was elevated to co-head coach, sharing leadership duties with Burton.
- In January 2025, she assumed full leadership of the program, becoming the ninth head coach in Portland State history.
- During her time at PSU, Whitney has helped guide the Vikings to five Big Sky Conference Tournament appearances, including three semifinal finishes (2017, 2023, 2024).
2025 ROSTER RUNDOWN
HOMEGROWN
- 14 members of the Vikings' 2025 roster are from the state of Oregon. Of those, 11 hail from the Portland metro area.
- Three Vikings — McKenna Eggleston, Gianlley Gargurevich, and Claire Masters — are from Tigard, Oregon, where they played together at Tigard High School under head coach Scott Eggleston (McKenna's father).
KEY RETURNERSÂ
- Aliayha Saldana and Liv Frazier were both named to the 2025 Big Sky Preseason All-Conference team
- Saldana had a standout freshman season for the Vikings in 2024, becoming the first player in program history to be named Big Sky Freshman of the Year. She also earned Second Team All-Conference honors as a forward, tallying three goals, two assists, and a Big Sky-best 3.28 shots per game.
- Frazier was a First Team All-Big Sky selection in 2024 and helped power the Vikings to four shutouts and only 19 goals allowed — the program's fewest in a season since 2014.
- 2024 Second Team All-Big Sky defender, Kalo Iongi is back for her senior season. In 2024 she tallied 32 shots with 13 on-goal and played a crucial role in the Vikings' defensive success.
- Elle Frazier, a three-year starter for the Vikings and a 2024 Second Team All-Big Sky midfielder, will utilize her medical redshirt this season.
NEWCOMER NOTES
- Bianca Potesta (Fr., MF): Seattle, Wash. » Two-time First Team Metro League selection at Ballard High School...is the only true freshman on the roster to start all four matches for the Vikings this season.
- Josie DeLine (Jr., D): Corbett, Ore. » Transfer from Weber State (two seasons)...All-Conference selection and conference champion at Sam Barlow High School...has started every game for the Vikings to begin the 2025 season.
- Addi Sebren (RS-Fr., D): Gig Harbor, Wash. »Transfer from UT Rio Grande Valley..did not appear in any matches as a freshman at UTRGV...attended Peninsula High School in Washington.
- Claire Masters (Fr., F): Tigard, Ore. » Two-time all-league forward at Tigard High School...second Team All-State in 2024...also a member of the Portland State softball team...has started two of four matches for the Vikings this season.
- Wynn Farrell (Fr., MF): Laguna Niguel, Calif. » Attended San Clemente High School...second Team All-League...2022–23 Crestview League champion.
2024 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
- The Vikings finished the 2024 season with a 4-9-5 overall record, including a 2-3-3 mark in Big Sky play to place sixth and earn a third consecutive Big Sky Tournament berth.
- Reached the Big Sky semifinals for the second straight year, advancing past Eastern Washington in a dramatic opening-round shootout by converting all 7 penalty kicks, before falling 2-1 to Idaho.
- Five Vikings earned All-Big Sky honors, the program's most in a single season since 2014.
- Posted four shutouts and held opponents to just 19 goals during the regular season, the program's lowest number since 2014.
- The Vikings graduated five seniors in 2024, all of which were starters during the 2024 season.