INDIANAPOLIS - UC Riverside erased a 2-0 deficit for the first time since 2019, but fell 3-2 to host IUPUI in the opener of the Hampton Inn Invitational on Thursday in Indianapolis.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• UC Riverside held a narrow lead through the first set thanks to 10 of UCR's first 16 points coming on kills. Sophia Ewalefo led the way with four, while Delaney Tate (3) and Hunter Thomas (2) also got in on the action.
• A pair of IUPUI attack errors gave the Highlanders a 19-17 cushion in set one, their largest lead since 11-9. UCR stretched that into a 21-17 lead before the Jaguars went on an 8-1 run for the set win.
• Tate spurred a 6-3 run with two kills as UCR climbed back into set two, down 9-13. The West Covina native then put down her eighth and ninth kills of the afternoon to tie things and 19 and 20, respectively.
• Tate was clutch again in set three, rattling off three straight kills with UCR down 23-20 to force an IUPUI timeout. Both sides went back and forth with match points - including Coco Ikpe getting her first three kills of the afternoon - before Tylee Fuller put the closing stamp on a 31-29 win with her first of two aces on the afternoon.
• UC Riverside fell into a 4-0 deficit in set four, but turned things around just as quickly and took its first lead of the set at 11-10. A block from Anya Green put the Highlanders as the first to 20 as Tate later set a new career high with kill number 19 before Fuller's second ace of the afternoon set up set point. Tate's 20th kill erased the 2-0 set deficit and forced set five. 
• UCR and IUPUI were neck and neck in set five with neither side exceeding more than a three-point advantage with Tate and Green combining for four of the Highlanders' five kills.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

• UC Riverside erased a two-set deficit for the first time since 2019 and first time on the road since 2018. 
• Beatriz Silva recorded a double double in her UCR debut with 40 assists and 14 digs to go along with four kills and a block.  
• Tate and Rowe combined for eight of UCR's 13 kills in a narrow set two defeat, where the Highlanders narrowly outhit IUPUI .195 to .184. 
• Tate set a match high and career high with 22 kills in the tournament opener while hitting .231 for the match. 

UP NEXT

• UC Riverside continues play at the Hampton Inn Invitational with a 12:00 p.m. match against Eastern Illinois on Saturday.