The Vikings volleyball squad powered their way into a decisive win against the Eastern Washington Eagles, coming out on top with a 3-1 victory on Nov. 3 at Viking Pavilion.
The win came at a time when the Vikings needed it most, as they head toward the end of the season and hope to clinch a berth in the eight-team Big Sky Conference playoffs.
Senior outside hitter Jenna Mullen was a force to be reckoned with, overpowering the Eagles’ front line with 14 kills and two blocks. Teaming up with Mullen to assure the win in Saturday’s match was senior middle blocker Katy Wilson, who finished out the match with 17 kills and three blocks. The Vikings were an offensive force, garnering a hitting percentage of .652, something not done by a Portland State team since 2013.
The Vikings sit one match behind the current eighth place team, University of Montana, and have four matches remaining in the regular season—all against teams ranking above them in the Big Sky Conference standings. Wins against these teams would be crucial in PSU reaching the playoffs, something the team has done the past two seasons.
The Vikings will hope to continue their offensive hot streak during their upcoming away match against Idaho State—the current fifth place team in the Big Sky conference—at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8.
I am a Senior in the Applied Linguistics Bachelor of Arts program at PSU. I currently work as a linguistic grader with WeLocalize, an international localization firm. I am excited to start Vanguard’s brand new sports section, and I hope to cultivate it in a manner that best serves and represents PSU’s various student athletes. When I am not at work or at school, I spend my time obsessing over the Portland Trail Blazers—and the NBA in general—with my wife, Maggie.
