STEPHENVILLE, Texas - UC Riverside closed out non-conference play at the Dr. Pam Littleton Classic on Saturday morning with a 3-1 defeat to Maryland Eastern Shore. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• UCR turned a 4-0 scoring run into a 10-6 lead in set one with a pair of kills from Sophia Ewalefo, but Maryland Eastern Shore grabbed a close first set. The Highlanders played another close one in set two, but UMES ended set two on a 4-0 run to grab a 2-0 set advantage.
• Four Highlanders registered at least four kills through sets one and two combined, as Coco Ikpe and Anya Green each hit .333 entering set three. Seven different Highlanders had a dig in set two as well. 
• UC Riverside was back on its scoring ways with a 4-0 stretch to pull ahead 19-12 in set three. An identical 4-0 run closed out set three for the Highlanders on a set-winning ace from Mylei Vargas-Deason. 
• The Highlanders fended off three match points in set four before UMES finished off the match. 

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

• Beatriz Silva registered a match-high 27 assists while adding four digs. 
• Ewalefo put up her third consecutive 15-kill match and ended the Dr. Pam Littleton Classic with 38 kills, 20 digs and a block assist while hitting .259 with 4.36 kills per set. 

UP NEXT

• The Highlanders now turn their attention to Big West play, beginning a four-match conference road swing at UC Irvine on Friday, September 22 at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN+.