Portland State beat Portland 57-51 in the first round of the WNIT at the Stott Center on Thursday. This was the Vikings’ first-ever national postseason tournament appearance on the NCAA Division I level. The Vikings (23-9) got the biggest spark from senior Kelsey Kahle who led the team with 30 points and 10 boards. She shot 11-12 from the field and made all eight of her free throw attempts. Kahle’s final home game couldn’t have been scripted any better. Her scoring output gave her seven 30-point games in her career, the most in PSU history. She passed Sheri VanLoo (1980-84) and Kristi Smith (1992-96), who had six each. Her 10 rebounds upper her total to 874, breaking the previous mark of 872 set by Sarah Hedgepeth (2000-04). Kahle now owns 11 school records. Along with rebounds and 30-point games, those include total points, free throws made, free throw attempts, 20-point scoring games, 10-point scoring games, field goals made, field goal attempts, games started and games played.
Tonight at 7 the Vikings play the Beavers in Corvallis in the second round. The first time these teams met this season on Dec. 7 in Corvallis the Beavers won 58-24, holding the Vikings to their lowest scoring total in school history.
(Photos by Larry Lawson)
Kelsey Kahle locks up with UP forward Allyson Sievers in the Vikings' first-round NIT victory.
