Regular-season play will begin this weekend for the Portland State soccer team with away matches against Oregon State on Friday, Aug. 22, and Gonzaga on Sunday, Aug. 24. The Vikings will take on the Beavers at 7 p.m., and the match against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 1 p.m.

The last time Portland State played Oregon State was Sept. 28 of last year when the Beavers won 2-1 in Corvallis. The Vikings have not met the Bulldogs since being handed a 1-0 shutout at Gonzaga in 2005. In the all-time match-ups, Oregon State holds a 7-3-1 record against the Vikings, while Gonzaga has compiled a record of 7-2-2.

This past Saturday, four Vikings scored goals in an exhibition match against Western Oregon en route to a 4-1 victory at Stott Community Field in Portland.
   

VIKING NOTEBOOK

First Year Coaches
The 2008 Viking coaching staff is comprised of first year head coach Laura Schott, and assistant coaches Melanie Langley and Janine Szpara, who are both in their first year with Portland State. Schott spent the previous three seasons as an assistant under head coach Tim Bennett, who stepped down to take a position at Iowa State in February 2008. During her time as an assistant, the Vikings held a record of 16-34-5. Melanie Langley, a former team captain at Portland State, joins Schott after serving as head coach at Linfield College for two seasons. Former U.S. National Team player Janine Szpara rounds out the coaching staff, and brings 10 years of collegiate coaching experience with her to the Vikings.

Vikings Return Many Top Performers
After having only one senior on the roster in 2007, Portland State returns the majority of last year's squad, including many top performers. Four of the five Vikings selected to the All-Big Sky Team last season return for 2008, and are among the 15 returning letterwinners for Portland State. Junior goalkeepers Cris Lewis and Rachel Jarvis started all 19 matches last fall, junior F/M Tarah Authier led the team in goals (5), and junior F/M Dolly Enneking led the team in assists (6). The nine returning starters are the most since 2004, when the Vikings returned 10 starters and won the Big Sky regular-season title.

Juniors And Freshmen Dominate 2008 Roster
Among the 27 players on the 2008 Viking roster are four seniors, 10 juniors, two sophomores and 11 freshmen. The freshmen class is the largest since the 2006 team that was comprised of 13 freshmen, nine of which are still on the squad as juniors. 

Vikings Aim To Make Repeat Trip To Big Sky Tournament
Since joining the Big Sky in 1997, Portland State has made four trips to the conference tournament. Last fall, the Vikings reached the tournament after posting a 3-3-1 conference record. If Portland State reaches the tournament in 2008, it will mark the first time the school has accomplished that feat in back-to-back seasons.