The Idaho Vandals faced off against the Portland State Vikings in their first game of conference play and their first home game of the season. Both teams came into the matchup with a record of 1-10. The Memorial Gymnasium was electric as fans were cheering and music was playing. “I loved the band” said Junior Outside Hitter Madu Fontes.
Idaho got the first two points of the match leading 2-0 in the first set, but PSU made sure that didn’t last long as they started to rally from there. The first set involved both teams each submitting a challenge at two separate instances on calls that cost them a point. Each side won their challenge getting those points back. The Vikings had a sizeable lead before the Vandals started a late surge, winning consecutive rallies to try and come back. However, they were too far behind, and PSU went on to win the opening set 25-17.
The second set began a lot closer with neither team holding more than a two-point lead at any time until about midway through. With PSU leading 11-10, during the next rally, Idaho senior and Middle Blocker Emma Patterson went to the floor holding her left leg after colliding with a teammate at the front of the net. She was unable to put any weight on it so with some help from one of her teammates and the athletic trainer she hopped off the court and was taken to the locker room for further examination. Additional information on her injury has yet to be released. The Vandals’ mojo seemed to deflate from there as the Vikings went on to win the set 25-18.
UI would not concede just yet however as they came out much stronger to begin the third set. Grabbing the early lead and never looking back. They continued to roll never losing their lead, Fontes delivered the final kill as they survived a late scare from the Vikings but won their first set in front of the home crowd 25-21.
The fourth set also began with both teams keeping things close. As it progressed, PSU began pulling away and growing their lead. UI was not ready to give up yet as they crawled a little closer, pulling to within a few late in the set but a couple rallies later and a kill by PSU Senior Carisa Barron was game, set, match. The Vikings winning the fourth set 25-20 and winning the match three sets to one.
Even with the loss, UI head coach Romana Redondo Kriskova was very proud of how the team looked in their first conference game of the year. “We played really good today. It took us a little bit but we were doing what we could” she stated.
The Vandals and Vikings will meet again in Portland on November 2. Next up for Idaho is a road game against Weber State. It’ll tip off Saturday at 12 p.m. on ESPN+.
You can reach Jackson Hamelund at [email protected]