Portland State University Athletics

MOSCOW, Idaho — Up 18-12 in the fourth set, the Portland State volleyball team appeared destined to send its match against Idaho to a fifth set Thursday. But a 9-1 run by the Vandals turned the set on its head as they closed out a 3-1 (24-26, 25-15, 25-21, 25-22) victory over the Vikings at Memorial Gym.
 
The Vandals (11-8, 2-5) left the Vikings (6-12, 2-5) searching for answers most of the night. Idaho was the first to 20 points in all four sets, including the first set before the Vikings came back to win, 26-24. The Vikings, meanwhile, couldn't find a right combination of players with 14 of their 18 players seeing the court at some point.
 
The night started on a hopeful note for the Vikings with their comeback in the first set. Idaho led 20-17, before the Vikings went on a 4-0 run to go up 21-20. From there, the teams were tied at 21-, 22-, 23- and 24-all. The Vikings finally earned the two-point advantage with a kill and an ace from Reese Biesemeyer and Alivia Eikenberg, respectively, to finish the set.
 
The Vikings outhit the Vandals .273-to-.129 in the opening set. Their efficiency was what won them the frame as the Vandals out-aced them 4-to-1 and out-dug them 15-to-5 otherwise.
 
Idaho adjusted from there on, though. The Vikings hit just .053 in the second set and then .105 in the third. They still nearly came back in the third set, winning six of seven points to get back within one at 21-20. But the Vandals recovered to close out the set from there.
 
The Vikings' late momentum appeared to carry over into the fourth set as they held the lead through the first half of the set. But the Vandals won 13 of the final 17 points to finish things off.
 
Freshman Maryn Hall led the Vikings with 13 kills. Katarina Kosic added 10 kills on .333 hitting. Biesemeyer had six kills on .462 hitting, but all but two of those kills came in the opening set.
 
Thursday's match started a three-match road trip for the Vikings. They'll continue that trip Saturday with a noon start against Eastern Washington, before concluding with a Tuesday night match at Northern Arizona.
 
MATCH NOTES:

• The Vikings have lost two in a row to the Vandals after Thursday's match. The Vikings still lead the all-time series between them and the Vandals, 24-11, however.
• Sophomore libero Jessica Truong led the Vikings with 10 digs despite only playing the last two sets of the match.
• Head coach Michael Seemann remains one win away from 300 in his coaching career.

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