FIRST SERVE
The Portland State volleyball team worked out some kinks last Saturday against Southern Utah. The question will now be how that translates to the road as the Vikings play at Weber State (Thursday, 5 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. MT) and Idaho State (Saturday, 11 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. MT) this week.
 
The Vikings are still looking for their first true road win this season. They went 0-6 in true road matches during the preseason, though they were 3-1 in neutral-site matches.
 
Fortunately for the Vikings, they made progress in all facets against Southern Utah last Saturday.
 
Offensively, after four straight matches hitting .119 or worse, the Vikings hit .294 against the Thunderbirds. That came from better balance and production from all areas of the court. Alivia Eikenberg and Willow Watson both went into double figures for kills for the first time in six matches. Eikenberg, after just three kills Thursday against Utah Tech, recorded 11 of her 12 kills over the final two sets of Saturday's match, while hitting .417. Watson, meanwhile, recorded 10 kills on .474 hitting.
 
Eikenberg's production was a welcomed sight as the Vikings needed production out of the left sides. They hadn't had any left side lead them in kills or go into double figures since Maryn Hall produced 10 kills against Texas Tech on Sept. 11. And not only did Eikenberg go into double figures but fellow left-side Ashley Repetti set a career high with 11 kills while recording her first double-double with 10 digs.
 
Watson's production from the right helped open things up for Eikenberg and Repetti, as did the eight kills on .667 hitting the Vikings got from junior middle blocker Reese Biesemeyer. The eight kills came as part of an outstanding stat line for Biesemeyer as she added two aces and a career-high 10 blocks. She was the first Viking to record 10+ blocks in a match since Genevieve Florig against North Dakota State in 2021.
 
The defense as a whole saw their own improvements last Saturday. Biesemeyer's 10 blocks came as part of 12.0 for the team that was one off their season high. Additionally, the Vikings put more defensive specialists on the floor with Paige Stepaniuk subbing in for Watson in the back row. The defense responded with four players recording 10+ digs for the first time this season. Jessica Truong led that group with 15 digs, while Stepaniuk, Repetti and Ava Blascziek all added 10 digs each.
 
Together, the defense held Southern Utah to .115 hitting, the lowest mark for a Viking opponent in five matches.
 
The Vikings will face off against two strong teams at the net this weekend in Weber State and Idaho State. The Wildcats lead the conference with 2.68 blocks per set, ranking them 24th nationally. The Bengals rank in the top three of the conference with 2.51 blocks per set. Both teams also feature the top two blockers individually between Weber State's Ziya Munyer and Idaho State's Jaydin Watts, first and second in the conference, respectively, at 1.38 and 1.37 blocks per set.
 
The Wildcats have also been efficient offensively, ranking second in the Big Sky and 65th nationally with a .249 hitting percentage. Rose Moore, an All-Big Sky first-team selection last season, leads Weber State with 3.67 kills per set, ranking her second in the conference.
 
Watts, meanwhile, leads the Bengals' offense from the middle with 2.51 kills per set.
 
The strength of the Bengals has been their back row players, though. They not only lead the Big Sky but all of NCAA Division I with 17.84 digs per set as a team. Aspen Boice leads the Bengals in the back row as she tops the conference and ranks 29th nationally with 4.58 digs per set. Four other players average at least 2.45 digs per set, though, in Nora Waddoups (2.74), Mia Walsh (2.57), Kadence Marsh (2.53) and Annelie Wilson (2.45).
 
The Vikings will need the offense they found against Southern Utah to travel with them, then. So, make sure the hotel beds are soft, so they don't pick up a few kinks that they just worked out against the Thunderbirds.
 
MATCH #14: PORTLAND STATE (5-8, 1-1) vs. WEBER STATE (8-4, 1-1)
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
DETAILS: Thursday, Oct. 1, 5 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. MT, Ogden, Utah (Swenson Gym)
SCOUTING WEBER STATE:

• The Weber State Wildcats split their opening two matches of Big Sky play last weekend. They lost, 3-1, on the road to Eastern Washington in their conference opener, then beat Idaho, 3-1, in Moscow two days later.
• The Wildcats came into the year picked to finish fifth in the conference this season. They finished tied for fourth at 9-7 in Big Sky play last season, when they were also 18-12 overall.
• Four-year veteran Rose Moore was a first-team All-Big Sky selection last season as well as an All-Tournament selection at the conference tournament. She made the preseason all-conference team before this season.
• Statistically, the Wildcats are strong at the net with 2.68 blocks per set, ranking them second in the Big Sky and 24th nationally. Ziya Munyer leads the conference with 1.38 blocks per set, an average that ranks her 35th nationally. Stacia Barker also ranks ninth in the conference with 0.93 blocks per set individually.
• Offensively, the Wildcats rank second in the Big Sky and 65th nationally with a .249 hitting percentage. They rank fifth in the conference with 12.0 kills per set. Moore ranks second in the conference and 98th nationally with 3.67 kills per set to lead the Wildcats. Lexie Carlson ranks ninth in the conference with 2.85 kills per set.
• Despite the Wildcats' strength at the net, opposing teams are hitting .216 against the Wildcats, ranking the Weber State defense seventh in the Big Sky Conference. Marly Pratt leads the teams' back row with 4.00 digs per set, ranking her fourth in the conference.

SERIES NOTES:

• The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Wildcats, 41-27. The Wildcats have won 11 of the last 15 matches between the teams, however.
• The Wildcats won the teams' only meeting last season, beating the Vikings in three sets in Ogden.
• The Vikings' last win over the Wildcats came in four sets at home on Nov. 21, 2024. The Vikings last beat Weber State in Ogden on Oct. 15, 2022, when they beat them in three sets.

 
MATCH #15: PORTLAND STATE (5-8, 1-1) vs. IDAHO STATE (10-4, 2-0)
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
DETAILS: Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. MT, Pocatello, Idaho (Reed Gym)
SCOUTING IDAHO STATE:

• The Idaho State Bengals swept their first two Big Sky matches last weekend, beating both Idaho and Eastern Washington in three sets.
• The Bengals came into the season off a run to the Big Sky championship match as an eighth-seed last season. They underachieved from their preseason expectations during the regular season, but caught fire at the tournament, beating top-seeded Northern Arizona and fourth-seeded Weber State in five sets before falling in three sets to host Northern Colorado.
• The Bengals were picked to finish tied for third in the conference during the preseason. Jaydin Wats, an All-Big Sky first-team selection in 2024 and second-team selection in 2025, made the preseason all-conference team.
• Statistically, the Bengals represent one of the best defensive teams in the conference. They lead the Big Sky and NCAA Division I with 17.8 digs per set. They also rank third in the conference and in the top 50 nationally with 2.51 blocks per set.
• Watts ranks second in the conference and 38th nationally with 1.37 blocks per set. Isabella Beatty ranks 10th in the conference with 0.91 blocks per set.
• Aspen Boice leads the Bengals in the back row as she tops the conference and ranks 29th nationally with 4.58 digs per set. Four other players average at least 2.45 digs per set, though, in Nora Waddoups (2.74), Mia Walsh (2.57), Kadence Marsh (2.53) and Annelie Wilson (2.45).
• Offensively, the Bengals rank seventh in the conference with a .197 hitting percentage. They rank third with 12.55 kills per set.
• Watts leads the Bengals with 2.51 kills per set from the middle while hitting .387 this season. Walsh ranks second on the team with 2.38 kills per set.

SERIES NOTES:

• The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Bengals, 42-29.
• The Vikings swept their season series with the Bengals last season, winning 3-0 at home and then 3-1 on the road. The Bengals swept the season series in 2024, winning in three sets in both Portland and Pocatello.

 
QUICK HITTERS
Team Notes

• LAST WEEK: The Vikings split their opening weekend of Big Sky play, losing in three sets to Utah Tech last Thursday, before beating Southern Utah Saturday.
• TOUGH SERVING: The Vikings rank second in the Big Sky and 69th nationally with 1.74 aces per set. They've recorded seven or more aces in nine of their 13 matches this season, including a season-high 10 against Murray State on Sept. 5. Ava Blascziek leads the Big Sky and ranks 42nd nationally with 0.51 aces per set individually. She has twice finished with a career-high five aces in a match this season.
• FORMATION CHANGES: The Vikings changed up their formation in their 3-1 win over Southern Utah last Saturday, going to a 5-1 with defensive specialist Paige Stepaniuk subbing in for right-side hitter Willow Watson in the back row. Head coach Michael Seemann said the formation change was to let the Vikings' defensive specialists influence the match more and extend rallies. It appeared to do just that as the Vikings had four players finish with 10+ digs for the first time this season.
• STRONG LIKE TRUONG: Sophomore libero Jessica Truong will touch every inch of the court by the end of a match. She tied her career high with 20 digs across only three sets last Thursday against Utah Tech. She followed up with a match-high 15 digs against Southern Utah. She ranks fifth in the Big Sky with 3.95 digs per set this season. Since taking over as the team's starting libero against Northern Illinois on Sept. 4, that number has gone up as she's averaging 4.33 digs per set over the team's last nine matches.
• BIESEMEYER GOES BEAST MODE: Junior middle blocker Reese Biesemeyer put together a stat line for the ages in the Vikings' win over Southern Utah Saturday. She recorded eight kills on .667 hitting offensively while setting a career high with 10 blocks at the net. She also had two aces, including one on match point. Biesemeyer became the first Viking since 2021 to record 10+ blocks in a match.
• PRODUCTION ON THE LEFT: Head coach Michael Seemann lamented the lack of production the Vikings got from the left side in last Thursday's match against Utah Tech. No left side finished with more than three kills against the Trailblazers. The Vikings bounced back on the left in their win over Southern Utah, however. Alivia Eikenberg and Ashley Repetti both went into double figures with 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Eikenberg recorded all but one of her 12 kills over the final two sets while hitting .417 in the match.
• RIGHT SIDE, STRONG SIDE: While the Vikings may alternate between a 5-1 or 6-2, it's not for a lack of firepower on the right side. Willow Watson showed the effect she can have on the Viking offense with 10 kills on .474 hitting in the team's win over Southern Utah. She ranks second on the team in kills (2.11) and third in blocks (0.77) per set. Katarina Kosic, meanwhile, still ranks seventh in the Big Sky with a .328 hitting percentage this season.
• UP-AND-DOWN OFFENSE: The Vikings had hit .119 or worse in four straight matches before the Vikings broke out with a .294 mark against Southern Utah last Saturday. Kill production had been an issue during the Vikings' recent struggles. They averaged just 9.5 kills per set over their four matches before recording 50 kills over four sets against Southern Utah.
• BALANCED ATTACK: Six different players have led the Vikings in kills over their first 13 matches of the season. Including ties, that list features Alivia Eikenberg (five times), Willow Watson (four times), Ashley Repetti (three times), Katarina Kosic (two times), Maryn Hall (once) and Jordyn Romano (once).
• NET PLAY: Head coach Michael Seemann said he hoped to see improvement this season in the Vikings' play at the net. The Vikings were up-and-down in that regard last week. They only had one block against Utah Tech last Thursday but then recorded 12.0 blocks against Southern Utah two days later. The Vikings still only rank ninth in the Big Sky with 1.79 blocks per set this season.
• ROAD WOES: If true road matches were thrown out, the Vikings would be 5-2 this season. They're 2-1 at home and 3-1 at neutral sites, but they're 0-6 on the road. Away matches have been a struggle the last two seasons for the Vikings within Big Sky play. The Vikings were 2-6 on the road against conference opponents in 2024 and 2025.
• YA DIG?: The Vikings rank fifth in the Big Sky with 14.1 digs per set. The Vikings finished with 60+ digs in both matches last weekend, a benchmark they hadn't hit since the opening week of the season.
• IMPORTANCE OF FIRST SET: The Vikings are 5-1 this season when winning the first set versus 0-7 when losing the opener. It was a similar story last year when the Vikings were 8-1 when winning the first set versus 3-16 when losing it.
• FIVE-SET OPENERS: The Vikings split a pair of five-setters to open their season, losing at Portland on Aug. 28 before turning around and beating Nevada in five sets two days later. The Vikings haven't played a five-setter since those two matches.
• DEUCE SETS: The Vikings have already played 11 sets decided by two points this season. The Vikings are 3-8 in those sets. They're 1-3 in matches where they lose the majority of the two-point sets, and 1-1 in matches where they evenly split the two-point sets. They have yet to win a majority of two-point sets in a match this season.
• EXTRA-POINT SETS: The Vikings have played five sets that went past 25 points, going 2-3 in those five. The longest set the Vikings have played this season remains 27-25 (three times).
• DEEP BENCH: All 18 players have played in a match this season. Fifteen of the Vikings' 18 players have already played in at least 13 of the team's 47 total sets.

 
Head Coach Michael Seemann

• GOING PLATINUM: Michael Seemann is in his platinum year (20th) as head coach of the Portland State volleyball program. He is the longest-tenured head coach of any of the Vikings' 15 varsity programs.
• CHASING 300: Seemann needs only two more wins to reach 300 overall in his career. When he does, he'll be the third different Portland State volleyball coach to reach 300 wins, joining Marlene Piper (445 wins from 1969-72 and 1974-83) and Jeff Mozzochi (371 wins from 1984-92 and 2001-06).
• 200 CONFERENCE WINS: Seemann needs eight more Big Sky Conference wins to reach 200 in his coaching career. Seemann will be the first Viking head coach in any sport to reach 200 Big Sky wins when he reaches the milestone. The department's other winningest coaches competed outside of the Big Sky Conference for all or the majority of their careers.

 
Background Info

• EXPERIENCE RETURNING: The Vikings returned five starters and their libero off last year's team that went 11-17 overall and 7-9 in Big Sky play.
• SHAKING OFF THE INJURY BUG: The Vikings were pushing for a higher seed than they finished (T-7th) last season before injuries got the better of them. Starters Willow Watson, Alivia Eikenberg and Reese Biesemeyer all went down with injuries throughout the year. Watson went down in the team's third conference match – after the Vikings had started Big Sky play 2-0 – while the Vikings lost Eikenberg and Biesemeyer on the final weekend of the regular season. Starting setter Ava Blascziek also missed time at the beginning of the year.
• PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: Big Sky coaches picked the Vikings to finish eighth in an expanded, 11-team conference this season. Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona – the defending Big Sky tournament and regular-season champions, respectively – topped the poll. The Bears edged the 'Jacks by three points, 88-85, despite both teams receiving four first-place votes. Idaho State and Montana, which earned two first-place votes, finished tied for third with 72 points each.
• CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: The addition of Utah Tech and Southern Utah to the Big Sky Conference – to offset the loss of Sacramento State – means the Vikings will play an 18-match conference schedule. That'll be the longest conference season for all Big Sky teams since they played a 20-match schedule in 2013 and 2014.
• ROAD WARRIORS: The Vikings made their longest trip east since 2004 when they traveled to Chicago for a match at DePaul on Sept. 2, then a tournament at Northern Illinois, Sept. 4-5.
• ROSTER SIZE: The Vikings have an 18-player roster for the first time in program history. The 18-player roster leans towards youth as the Vikings have six freshmen and six sophomores. Last year's six-member freshman class marked the Vikings' largest since 2019.