ORLANDO – UC Riverside kicked off a new era of Highlander women's volleyball on Friday at The Venue at UCF with a 3-0 win over Norfolk State. 

UCR improved to 1-0 for the first time since 2021 in Branden Higa's first win as head coach. 

Mia Delahoussaye provided the firepower early in set one with six kills on 10 swings and a block. The Bethune-Cookman transfer charged UCR through a 4-0 set one scoring run after Evelyn Hendrix easily tipped a free ball over the net.

Jessica Dean recorded her 1,000th career dig in the midst of a tight set one battle with Norfolk State.

Delahoussaye and Sophia Ewalefo combined for 15 of the Highlanders' 20 kills in the opening set, as UC Riverside hit .455 out of the gate to take a 1-0 set lead. 

Both teams teetered the scales in their favor early in set two, but another 3-0 scoring run spurred a UCR heater after a Hendrix kill. UC Riverside ended set two on a 5-1 run after needing three match points to take a 2-0 lead in the match. The Highlanders finished the job in set three with a 25-23 win.

Not to be overshadowed at the net was Brianna Bowyer, who shattered her career high with 12 kills against the Spartans. Bowyer was instrumental in UCR's 50 kills on the day, the second time in three years the Highlanders have notched that many in a season opener. 

UCR returns to the court on Saturday morning for a 9:00 am PT match against Chattanooga on ESPN+.