RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Showing grit in the face of adversity, UC Riverside took the opening set, 30-28, and rallied into the 20s in two of the next three, but the Highlanders were defeated by Long Beach State in four sets Saturday on Senior Night at SRC Arena. Seniors Dejah Dade and Marina Gonzalez were recognized in a pregame ceremony that saw their family members join teammates, coaches, fans and staff to celebrate their UCR careers as student-athletes.
 
Dade arrived at UCR (6-24, 2-18 Big West) from Corona, Calif., where she graduated from Eleanor Roosevelt High School. A starter for the Highlanders in a career-high 19 matches this season after making 7 starts in 2019, Dade achieved new career bests in numerous categories in 2021, including 4 blocks and 7 kills at Cal Poly, 17 digs vs. UC San Diego, and 36 assists at UC Irvine. Her 34 assists Saturday against The Beach (16-15, 10-10 Big West) were two off her career high.
 
Head coach Michelle Patton-Coleman said of Dade, who will receive a degree in Education, "After her four years, Dejah will have accomplished a great deal here at UCR and she worked hard to grow into a player we needed on the court. We wish her the best and will miss her contributions to the team."
 
Gonzalez, a Psychology major, made 11 starts during her sole Highlander season after arriving at the University as a transfer from Fresno City College in her hometown of Fresno. A graduate of Clovis North High School, Gonzalez debuted as a Highlander with 16 kills in a win over Fordham University and ended with a UCR career-high 12 digs Saturday vs. LBSU.
 
"As a JC transfer, Marina was able to add maturity and inject her love for the game when needed on and off the court which greatly helped us grow a team," said coach Patton-Coleman. "She will have a bright future helping others whatever path she takes and we wish her the best."
 
The Highlanders refused to yield the opening set to the visiting Beach, but a short bench took its toll on UCR as the match wore on, even as the team took 3 of 4 sets into the 20s. At the end, the Highlanders had lost their seventh straight match to end the 2021 season, finishing with six wins for the second straight season of competition, omitting the 2020 shutdown due to COVID, their two Big West victories on the year making it the fifth time in the past 10 seasons that UCR has won 2 or fewer conference contests.