Looking for a win

The Portland State women’s soccer team finds itself in a position it is not accustomed to: In the midst of a losing streak. The Vikings have lost three games on the trot, with the last two coming against Gonzaga on Sunday and the University of Idaho on Tuesday.

However, the players from the Park Blocks will look to resume normal services at noon on Friday when they host Utah Valley (3-7-0) at Hillsboro Stadium. The Vikings (4-6-0) then travel to Seattle University for a showdown with the Redhawks (7-4-0) at noon on Sunday.

This weekend features the last two non-conference games for the Vikings and perhaps the last chance for head coach Laura Schott to discover her best starting 11.

In Portland State’s contest on Tuesday, the Viks were blitzed in the first half by Idaho’s offense, which chalked up an early goal in the fifth minute of play. Two more Idaho goals in the 32nd and 35th minutes gave the Vandals a three-point lead. Assisted by senior Frankie Ross, Portland State junior Kala Renard scored her third goal of the season just before the break to put the Vikings on the board, but down 3-1.

The Vikings continued their rally attempt as Ross scored a goal of her own in the 72nd minute to make the score 3-2 in favor of the Vandals. Ross and Renard, along with junior Melissa Trammel, are at the top of the team’s scoring charts with three goals each on the season. Portland State’s number-one goalkeeper, senior Rachel Jarvis, started the game but was replaced in the second half by sophomore Lainey Hulsizer.

Scouting the Wolverines:

Portland State leads Utah Valley 2-1 in head-to-head matches and Utah Valley is coming off twin loses to Southern Utah and Seattle University from the past week. The last time these two teams met was last season when then-PSU student Dolly Enneking created Vikings history by scoring both the goals in the 2-0 win and becoming Portland State’s all-time leading goal scorer.

Scouting the Redhawks:

The current head-to-head series between Portland State and Seattle stands at 0-1-4 in favor of Seattle and the Redhawks are in red-hot form this season, coming off four straight victories. Since Sept. 19, Seattle has recorded wins over Utah Valley, Sacramento State, Idaho and Cleveland State. Last year’s meeting between the two teams ended

in a 1-1 draw.

Scouting the Vikings:

The Viks were predicted to finish third in the Big Sky Conference in the preseason poll, and can’t afford to let their guard down with conference play approaching.

Portland State will have to beware of lower-ranked Seattle, which has a 2-1 record against Big Sky teams this season. The Vikings have scored 16 goals from their ten games so far, and conceded 15. Tho date, goalkeeping responsibilities have been shared between Jarvis and sophomore Lainey Hulsizer.