DAVIS, Calif. - UC Riverside opened Big West action on Tuesday evening at the University Credit Union Center on the campus of UC Davis with a 3-1 defeat after a furious fourth-set rally fell just short. 

Delaney Tate led the way in set one with three kills, an assist and a dig while Tayler Hifo logged two kills, three digs and six assists before UCR conceded set one, 25-16. The Highlanders came out of the brief intermission with a 6-1 lead to start set two, spurred by an ace and an assist from Hifo. 

The Utah product was three kills shy of her third triple double on the season, finishing with seven kills, 25 assists and 19 digs against the Aggies. 

UC Riverside kept it going for a 9-4 lead on back-to-back Highlander points via kills from Isabella Scarlett, only to go on a 5-0 run later in the set before forcing an Aggie timeout. UCR extended its run to 7-0 on the other side of the break, as Mylei Vargas-Deason accounted for three of her four kills up to that point while in the Highlanders' offensive stretch. 

The Highlanders ended the second set on a 13-3 run to tie the match at one set apiece after a dominant 25-13 frame, as Vargas-Deason, Hunter Thomas and Anya Green combined for 10 of UC Riverside's 14 kills in the frame. UCR hit .419 as a team in the match-tying set. 

UC Davis flipped the script on the offensive momentum in set three, but two kills from Scarlett once again propelled a UCR run that kept them on the Aggies' heels. The Highlanders later lapped Davis with a 5-0 run before falling 26-24 in a set that saw Scarlett rack up five of her eight kills on the night. 

UC Riverside fell behind quickly in the fourth set 18-5, but vehemently stormed back on a 10-0 run to get within 22-18 before UC Davis finished off the match. 

UCR is back in action on Saturday, September 24 with a 10:00 p.m. first serve at the Stan Sheriff Center against Hawaii. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+ with live stats available on the women's volleyball schedule at GoHighlanders.com.