PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS
(3-6, 0-0 Big Sky)
 
Day: Thursday
Date: Sept. 19, 2019
Place: Portland, Ore. 
Time: 7:00 P.M.
Facility: Vikings Pavilion
Video: goviks.com
Stats: goviks.com
 
POR vs. PSU
Overall Series: 19-34
H: 12-12 •  A: 7-21  •  N: 0-1
Last: PSU 3, @POR 0 (09/13/17)
 
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS
(3-6, 0-0 Big Sky)
 
Day: Saturday
Date: Sept. 21, 2019
Place: Portland, Ore. 
Time: 12:00 P.M.
Facility: Chiles Center
Video: portlandpilots.com
Stats: portlandpilots.com
 
POR vs. PSU
Overall Series: 19-34
H: 12-12 •  A: 7-21  •  N: 0-1
Last: PSU 3, @POR 0 (09/13/17)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots compete against crosstown rivals Portland State twice this weekend, in a battle between the Bluff and Park Blocks.
• Portland will first play at PSU on Thursday at the Viking Pavilion, and then host the Vikings at The Chiles Center.
• Live stats and video for this weekend's matches can be found at goviks.com and portlandpilots.com, respectively.
 
LAST WEEK
 • The Pilots went undefeated at the Springhill Suites Invitational, going 3-0 and winning the tournament.
• Portland swept Grambling State and New Mexico State on Friday, and finished their weekend with a 3-1 victory over Lamar.
• Senior Shayla Hoeft (40 kills & four total blocks) was voted as MVP of the tournament, while junior Kellie Hughes (93 assists, 19 digs) and freshman Grace Zilbert (seven service aces, 13 digs) earned All-Tournament honors. 
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• This is Jeff Baxter's second season as head coach of the Pilots, coming off Portland's first 20-win season and postseason appearance in program history.
• Portland's ability to serve up aces has been huge to their early success: The Pilots rank 5th in the NCAA in aces per set, placing them second in the WCC.
• Freshman Grace Zilbert has a been the catalyst of the Pilots serving ability, ranking 29th in the country in total service aces. Nine matches into her collegiate career, she already has two five-ace matches. 
• Junior Kellie Hughes has made significant strides this season, with Hughes ranking 36th in the country in total assists (350) and 40th in total service aces (16). Within the West Coast Conference, Hughes ranks 1st in assists per set and total assists.
• In the WCC, the Pilots are 1st in digs per set (14.41) and opposing hitting percentage (.176). Individually. junior Carey Williams has led the way defensively, ranking 1st in the conference in digs per set (4.76) and total digs (176).
• For their efforts in the Portland North Marriott Invite, Hoeft and Williams were nominated to the All-Tournament Team. Hoeft had 43 kills, while Williams had 59 digs and 12 assists.
• The Pilots returned nine letterwinners from the 2018 season, including 2018 All-WCC Honorable Mention senior Katie Barker.
• The program welcomed three true freshman to The Bluff this summer, as well two transfers from the University of Boise State and Seton Hall University, respectively.
• Sophomore transfers Jessie Brigham & Claire Forrest bring experience to the squad: Brigham led the BSU Broncos in digs in 2018 with 356, while Forrest notched two matches with 10 kills as a Pirate, including a career-high 11 kills against VCU.
• Portland's freshman class is made up of Zilbert, Noelani Helm and Jayde Harris, with all three already contributing this season. 
• To replace former assistant coaches Betsy Sedlak and Rick Moller departures from the program, Baxter brought in former University of Nevada assistant coach Megan Burton and former University of Washington player Justice Magraw.
 • The Pilots saw two seniors graduate last spring in Reghan Pukis and Lauren Naatz.
• Portland was picked to finish sixth in the West Coast Conference Preseason Poll, jumping two spots from the previous poll.
• Senior middle blocker Katie Barker seeks to improve on her coming out party as a junior: she was nominated to the 2018 All-WCC Honorable Mention squad and had 128 block assists, 143 total blocks and a .334 hitting percentage, which were 1st, 2nd and 5th most in single season history, respectively.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
• Portland State is 3-6 on the season, and is led by head coach Michael Seemann, now in his 13th season. Their squad features eight newcomers, including seven freshman, making up two-thirds of their 2019 squad.
• Coming into the season, the Vikings were predicted to finish eighth in the Big Sky Conference. In 2018, they finished the season 5-25 (4-14 BSC).
• In the Big Sky, the Vikings rank third in digs per set (15.80), and are led defensively by freshman Ellie Snook. Snook is third in the BSC in digs per set (4.57) and is fourth in aces per set (0.43).
• The Vikings have shown diversity in their attack, with three different players with at least 85 kills each. Sophomore Caroline Dragani has led the charge in distributing the ball, recording 191 assists so far this season.