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Portland State takes a five-match winning streak into a key Montana road trip, facing Montana State on Thursday and Montana on Saturday. At 7-5 in Big Sky play, the Vikings are tied for fifth and just one game behind second place as the conference standings tighten. They’ll look to build on a dominant sweep of Idaho, which combined their strongest offense in four years with their best defensive performance in 12.

By the Numbers
  • Portland State: 11-12 overall, 7-5 in Big Sky play; five straight wins.
  • Montana State: 15-8 overall, 8-4 in conference; ranked third in the Big Sky with 13.0 kills per set.
  • Montana: 7-16 overall, 3-9 in conference; second in the Big Sky with 1.57 service aces per set.
  • Against Idaho, Portland State hit .395 and held the Vandals to -.022.
Yes, But

The Vikings have momentum, but both matches pose challenges: Montana State swept Portland State earlier this season, and Montana has won its last three home matches against the Vikings. Portland State has won its last two road matches, ending a 12-match road losing streak, but remains 2-9 away from home this season.

State of Play
  • The Big Sky’s second-through-fifth-place positions are tightly packed; Portland State is one game behind three teams tied at 8-4.
  • The Vikings visit Montana State in Bozeman Thursday, then Montana in Missoula Saturday.
  • Portland State’s 3-0 win over Idaho featured balanced attacking and a defensive formation that has produced strong results recently.
What's Next

After the Montana trip, Portland State hosts Idaho State and Weber State before closing the regular season with road matches at Southern Utah and Utah Tech. The Big Sky tournament begins Nov. 23.

Bottom Line

This road swing could reshape Portland State’s place in the Big Sky race—and test whether its recent breakthrough performances can hold up away from home.