SANTA BARBARA, Calif.— The 2018 season came to a close Saturday night for the UC Riverside Women's Volleyball Team as the Highlanders dropped a three set match at UC Santa Barbara. Each set was a close contest as the Gauchos came away with ith 22-21-24.

In a match that came down to a couple of plays in each set, the Highlanders truly battled, but the Gauchos found the late points needed to close out each game.

Both teams traded off points in the 1st set until the score was iced at 19-19, but a 4-1 run by UCSB gave the host a lead and allowed the Gauchos to hold off UCR 25-22.

The Highlanders jumped out to a 6-3 lead in the 2nd, but an 8-2 run by the Gauchos in the middle of the set put them ahead and the team never surrendered the lead again taking it 25-21.

The closest contest came in a must-win 3rd set as UC Riverside held off a strong opening run by UCSB and both teams went back-and-forth the bulk of the set. 

UC Santa Barbara held match point at 24-20, but the Highlanders refused to quit holding off four match point plays to tie it at 24-24. Their efforts would fall just short as the Gauchos then finished the match grabbing the final two points.

UCR freshmen again topped the team's offensive efforts as Christina Escamilla posted 14 kills and Ashlyn Blotzer added 11. Sophomore Nicole Rodriguez topped the defense scooping up 19.

In her final NCAA career match, senior setter Chelsea Doyle added 30 more assists to her DI program record.