Halfway through the first game of Friday night’s volleyball match, Vikings middle blocker Erica Jepsen knew she was in for a big night. Jepsen had rattled off a couple of kills in a row, and she was starting to get that feeling, the one athletes get when skill, passion and preparation combine to create something special.
It turned out to be a transcendent match for Jepsen, 19. The sophomore from Kennewick, Wash., punished the Eastern Washington defense for 15 kills and a .789 hitting percentage, good for second best in Portland State history and a season high for the Big Sky Conference.
“It’s actually a relief,” Jepsen said of her big game. “Once you prove something to yourself, you know you can do it again.”
Jepsen’s antics helped the Vikings to their seventh-straight conference win and got her recognition from the Big Sky, as she was named co-player of the week for her dominant performance.
The offensive explosion came on the heels of a hard week of practice where Jepsen and first-year head coach Michael Seemann concentrated on tweaking small aspects of her game.
“I talked to coach about things I wanted to fix, mostly technique things,” Jepsen said. “Fixing a bunch of little things can have a huge impact on your game. He just kept reminding me of the things I needed to fix and kept telling me I could fix them.”
Seemann wanted to see more offense from the middle blocker position, and Jepsen responded with a career night.
“Mostly it’s a matter of moving well off the ball in transition,” Seemann said. “She’s an excellent blocker and quick off the ground. She’s got a very good volleyball IQ.”
On a team with only one senior in Michelle Segun, Jepsen is part of a young nucleus of talent that includes sophomore outside hitter Marija Vojnovic and sophomore setter Dominique Fradella. So far, Jepsen has impressed Seemann and her teammates.
“She has a genuine interest in her teammates,” Seemann said. “She’s got a fantastic work ethic. She’s been a great kid since day one. She’s an excellent student.”
Fradella, who has been steadily working her way into the record books as well, rooms with Jepsen and calls her a close friend.
“That’s the best I’ve ever seen her play,” Fradella said. “She was just playing amazing. It makes my job a lot easier. We like going to the middle a lot.”
Jepsen calls her playing style “fun,” and said she enjoys celebrating on the court when things are going well.
“She gets more excited when other people do well,” Fradella said. “She’s just a great person, all-around.”
Volleyball has long been a part of Jepsen’s life. Her mother played, and she played at Kamiakin High School in Kennewick with her two younger sisters. Jepsen said PSU’s coaching staff and recent success made choosing to come to the South Park Blocks an easy decision.
Now that she’s here, Jepsen said she is happy to be contributing to another winning season.
“It feels really good with all the seniors leaving, other players had to step up,” Jepsen said. “The team is just getting better in the next few years.”