PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland State women's soccer team will hit the road for the first time in over a month this week, wrapping up its non-conference schedule with back-to-back road matches. The Vikings face Utah Tech on Friday, Sept. 19 at 6:00 p.m. PT, followed by Southern Utah on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 12:00 p.m. PT.
With both the Trailblazers and Thunderbirds set to join the Big Sky Conference in 2026-27, this weekend's matches will be the final non-conference meetings between the programs. Both contests will stream live on ESPN+, with live stats also available (links below).
PORTLAND STATE WOMEN'S SOCCER
GAME NOTES - WEEK 6
Portland State (1-3-2, 0-0-0) at Utah Tech (3-3-2, 0-0-0)
Friday, Sept. 19 | 6:00 pm PT/7:00 pm MT | St. George, Utah (Greater Zion Stadium)
Game links:
Watch on ESPN+ |
Live Stats
Scouting UT: Utah Tech enters their non-conference finale against the Vikings with a 3-3-2 record. They are 1-1-1 in their last three outings, including a 3-2 road win over Idaho State, a 2-1 loss to Utah, and a 2-2 draw against Northern Arizona in their most recent match (9/14). Nine Trailblazers have scored this season, with four players netting multiple goals. Senior midfielder Kyah Le leads the team with eight points, tallying two goals and four assists. Senior goalkeeper Brianna Frey has started every match, recording 23 saves and one shutout.
Portland State (1-3-2, 0-0-0) at Southern Utah (0-5-2, 0-0-0)
Sunday, Sept. 21 | 12:00 pm PT/1:00 pm MT | Cedar City, Utah (Thunderbird Soccer Field)
Game links:
Watch on ESPN+ |
Live Stats
Scouting SUU: The Thunderbirds enter their final weekend of non-conference play still searching for their first win of the 2025 season, holding a 0-5-2 record. They've dropped three straight matches—a streak that began with a 4-1 loss to Denver on Aug. 31, followed by defeats to UNLV and, most recently, Northern Arizona on Sept. 12. Southern Utah has conceded 16 goals while scoring just five and comes into Sunday averaging 9.3 shots per game.
SERIES HISTORY VS. UTAH TECH / SOUTHERN UTAH
- The Vikings and Trailblazers will meet for the third consecutive season, with their first matchup occurring in 2023. That game marked the Vikings' only trip to St. George, where they fell 1-0 after conceding the game-winning goal in the 66th minute. The teams met again nearly a year later at Hillsboro Stadium, when Utah Tech took an early second-half lead before Ocean Rideout scored in the 83rd minute to secure a 1-1 draw.
- Sunday's matchup will mark the 11th meeting between the Vikings and Thunderbirds, with many of those contests taking place during their time as Big Sky Conference opponents before Southern Utah's departure in 2021. The Vikings have won three of the last four meetings against SUU. Sunday will also be their first trip to Cedar City since 2018—a match the Vikings won 3-2. PSU is 2-2-0 all-time on the road against the Thunderbirds.
LAST TIME OUT — BATTLE OF THE BRIDGES
- The Vikings are coming off a thrilling match against crosstown rival Portland this past Saturday (Sept. 13) at Hillsboro Stadium, battling the Pilots to a 1-1 draw. Portland took a 1-0 lead in the first half and held it for over 50 minutes of action. With just 1:06 remaining and her team trailing, Ocean Rideout delivered a 28-yard strike into the upper left corner of the net to equalize in the 89th minute.
- The Pilots nearly reclaimed the lead in the final seconds, but Viking goalkeeper Finley Crabtree came up with a crucial save to secure the tie.
- The draw marked the Vikings' first non-loss result against the Pilots, who came into Saturday's match with a perfect 8-0-0 record in the series.
KEY CONTRIBUTORS
- Ocean Rideout leads the Vikings with two goals (four points) this season, putting five of her eight shot attempts on target for a .625 shots-on-goal percentage—netting two of those chances.
- Aliayha Saldana is the only Viking with double-digit shot attempts, tallying 14 across six matches, including a team season-high seven in the Vikings' win over WOU (Aug. 24). She is also the only Viking to record both a goal and an assist so far this season.
- Sophomore midfielder Grace Sarabia is the only Viking to have played all 90 minutes in every match this season.
- Senior defender Liv Frazier has been a steady presence on the back line throughout her four seasons at PSU, appearing in 52 career matches (37 starts) and logging 3,805 minutes. She played every minute of the 2024 season (1,640 minutes) and has gone the full 90 or 110 minutes in 35 of the last 37 matches, including 38 consecutive starts. Frazier will return to the pitch this weekend after missing the Vikings' match against Portland due to a red card received against CSUN.
O SO CLUTCH
- Senior forward Ocean Rideout has established herself as one of the most clutch players in program history, with 6 of her 8 career goals (75%) coming in the final 12 minutes of the contest—75% of which were scored while PSU was tied or trailing.
- She has scored in each of her four seasons at PSU, totaling 17 career points (8 goals, 1 assist), including four game-winners.
- Four of her last five strikes have come in the final five minutes of regulation, including two heroic goals in the 89th minute (9/22/23 vs. UNC; 9/13/25 vs. UP).
- In the Vikings' most recent matchup with Utah Tech last season, Rideout scored the crucial equalizer in the 83rd minute to secure a 1-1 draw.
SECOND-HALF SUCCESS
- Aside from Rideout's late-match heroics, the Vikings have proven themselves as a second-half team, 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 has continued into 2025, with four of PSU's five goals (80%) coming in the second half.
- The Vikings are particularly dangerous late, with the game-winning goal scored in the final 30 minutes in 9 of their last 13 victories.
BETWEEN THE POSTS
- Redshirt junior Natalie Cunningham (0-3-1) and redshirt sophomore Finley Crabtree (1-0-1) have shared time in goal this season, combining for 25 saves over six matches.
- Crabtree earned the win against Western Oregon (8/24) and played a pivotal role in the 1-1 draw with Portland (9/13), recording a career-high six saves.
- Cunningham delivered a season-best performance against CSUN (9/4), matching her career high with 10 saves.
- Cunningham currently ranks third in the conference in saves per game, averaging 4.25 across four appearances.
MULTI-GOAL MATCHES
- The VIkings have recorded two multi-goal games in 2025—scoring twice against both Iowa State (8/14) and Western Oregon (8/24)—already doubling their total from 2024, when they managed just one multi-goal performance all year.
- Four different Vikings have found the back of the net in 2025
- 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.
- The Vikings' attack has recorded 10 or more shots in four of their six matches this season, averaging 11.17 shots and 5.17 shots on goal per game.
CAREER FIRSTS
- 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 collegiate goal against the Wolves (8/24).
- Finley Crabtree notched her first career win as goalkeeper during her first career start against WOU on 8/24.
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 RETURNERS
- 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.
2025 BIG SKY PRESEASON POLL
- The Vikings were picked eighth out of nine teams in the 2025 Big Sky preseason coaches' poll released on Monday, Aug. 11. They earned 22 points — well ahead of last-place Idaho State (10 points) and just behind Northern Colorado (26 points) and Weber State (27 points). Reigning regular-season champion Montana topped the poll with six first-place votes and a league-high 60 points.
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.
