RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UC Riverside began the final week of the season on Thursday night at the SRC Arena with a no-quit mentality, falling 3-2 to first-place Cal Poly.  

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• UC Riverside trailed by just three at the evening's first media break, led by a match-high three kills from Kailyn Jager. Andrea Brewer kept the run going with a kill at the right pin to make it 13-15.  
• Beatriz Silva put down her first ace of the night to tie set one at 19 apiece as Cal Poly called for time.  Service errors from each side then set the Highlanders up with set point, which Sydnee Rowe secured with a kill at the net.  
• Cal Poly evened the match at one set apiece after capturing a 25-13 second frame. UC Riverside fell behind in the match 2-1 after dropping a close 25-18 third set, hitting .242 in the frame while recording four blocks.  
• UCR opened a 5-1 lead in set four with two kills from Trinity Sheridan, then stretched the advantage to 9-4 while hitting .500 thus far and holding the Mustangs to -.143.  
• The Highlanders hit .227 in set five and stayed with Cal Poly for nine points. 

NOTABLES 

• UCR outhit the Mustangs .152 to .105 in set one and .233 to .097 in set four. 
• The Highlanders took a 1-0 set lead over Cal Poly for the first time since 2017. It was also the third set UCR had won against the Mustangs in that span.  
• UC Riverside took a third top four Big West team to a decisive fifth set with Thursday's thriller. UCR's 58 kills, 74 digs and 54 assists were all the second most at home this season. 
• Sheridan enjoyed her best hitting clip since November 1 with a .317 performance against the Mustangs, while Mia Delahoussaye recorded 10 kills on 28 swings. Delahoussaye recorded four of her 10 in a crucial set four win. 

UP NEXT 

• UC Riverside concludes the season with Senior Day on Saturday, November 23 against UC Santa Barbara at 4:00 p.m. The match will be streamed exclusively on ESPN+, and tickets are available now at highlanderstickets.universitytickets.com.