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GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Junior defender Torie Morris scored in the 30th minute to lead the Portland State women's soccer team to a 1-0 win over North Dakota Sunday in a match they dominated at Bronson Field.
 
The Vikings (7-5-4, 4-2-2 Big Sky) outshot North Dakota (1-12-1, 0-7-0 Big Sky) 26-12 in the match Sunday, including a 15-2 advantage in shots on goal, but still could only find the net on Morris' shot from distance in the 30th minute.
 
"We created some really good chances in the attack today," PSU head coach Laura Schott said. "Soccer is just that way. Sometimes they go in, sometimes you hit the crossbar four times."
 
PSU's 26 shots against UND Sunday stand as the fourth highest single-match total in school history, and are the most in a single match by the Vikings since they recorded 29 against Louisiana-Monroe in 2010. Additionally, the Vikings' 15 shots on goal in the match are the most in a single match by the Vikings since the team recorded 16 shots on goal against Eastern Washington on Oct. 19, 2008, exactly six years ago today.
 
More importantly, Sunday's win vaults the Vikings, winners of three of their last four matches, temporarily into second place with 14 points in the Big Sky standings. The Vikings now rank one point ahead of Idaho and two points behind Montana, who will both play later in the day Sunday.
 
The Vikings had to suffer through several frustrating moments to get the win Sunday, however, as UND saved nearly everything the Vikings threw them early.
 
Portland State earned a penalty kick just over three minutes into the match, but UND goalkeeper Kristi Hestdalen saved it for the first of her 14 saves on the day. The Vikings followed with eight more shots over the next 26 minutes of the match, including five more on goal.
 
The Vikings wouldn't break through until Morris' goal in the 30th minute, however, as she caught the UND defense off guard with a shot from distance, sending a shot from 40 yards out through a crowd and into the net.
 
The goal gave the Vikings the lead they deserved, as they were outshooting UND 10-0 in the match by the time Morris scored.
 
Morris also scored the game-winning goal against North Dakota last season, when the Vikings beat UND 1-0 on a third-minute goal from Morris. Two of Morris' three career goals at Portland State have now come against North Dakota.
 
North Dakota finally recorded its first shot soon after Morris' goal, forcing PSU goalkeeper Caitlin Plese into making her first save of the match in the 31st minute.
 
PSU quickly regained control of the match, however, and the Vikings took a 13-2 shot advantage into halftime.
 
UND pushed for an equalizer early in the second half amid a flurry of shots from the 62nd to the 65th minutes of the match. UND recorded six of their 12 shots in the match during that stretch, with sophomore forward Zoe Foster accounting for three of them. Foster sent a shot off the post to start the flurry in the 62nd minute, then came back to force Plese into making her second save of the day with a shot on goal in the 64th minute.
 
The Vikings withstood UND's push, however, and outshot UND 5-3 the rest of the way.
 
Sunday's 1-0 win gives Plese her 16th career shutout at Portland State, moving her within one shutout of tying school record-holder Cris Lewis (2006-09) at 17. Plese also earned her 18th career goalkeeper win in the match, moving her into sole possession of second place all-time at Portland State in the category.
 
Plese can attempt to tie Lewis for the career shutout record in the Vikings' next match, as the Vikings host Idaho in a pivotal matchup Sunday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m. (PT) at Hillsboro Stadium.
 
The Vikings and Vandals are among the teams currently competing for first-round byes at the Big Sky Tournament, which go to the top two teams in the conference after the regular season. The Vikings will take a four-match unbeaten streak into the match against the Vandals after Sunday's win over North Dakota.
 
Match Notes: The Vikings improve to 3-0-0 in their all-time series with North Dakota…PSU goalkeeper Angela Haluskamade her first career appearance in the field in Sunday's match, and recorded four shots, three of which were on goal…The Vikings are now 6-1-2 when they outshoot their opponent in matches this season…The Vikings are also 7-0-1 when they score first, and 6-0-1 when they lead at halftime…Morris' goal in the 30th minute was the Vikings' ninth first-half goal this season out of 15 total.

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