UC Riverside
4-15,0-8Big West
Cal Poly
12-6,8-0Big West
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Riverside | 17 | 12 | 25 | 21 | 1 |
| Cal Poly | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 3 |
Women’s Volleyball Ends Central Coast Trip with 3-1 Loss at Cal Poly
10/17/2026 6:16:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Highlanders take a set off first-place Mustangs in San Luis Obispo
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - UC Riverside (4-15, 0-8 Big West) took a set from first place Cal Poly (12-6, 8-0) on Saturday afternoon, but dropped a 3-1 (17-25, 12-25, 25-22, 21-25) decision at Mott Athletics Center.
Casi Doll led the way for UCR with 11 kills while Maya Barron and Elena Kasavica combined for 31 assists.
UCR sided out to begin the match before an ace and continued blocking prowess opened up a 3-0 advantage. Cal Poly got on the board before UCR retained serve after a Mustang attacking error. Barron made it two aces out of five opening points for the visitors.
The Highlanders overwhelmed Cal Poly and forced a timeout, only to continue pressing the issue at 8-1 with a kill and block from Zeynep Belgutay. The hot start was cut short by Cal Poly, who rattled off seven straight points to tie the set at eight. Doll stopped the momentum with her first kill, the first of four straight points for UCR. The Mustangs pulled ahead at 17-14 with another burst of offense before finishing the set.
Two Cal Poly errors generated a 2-0 lead in set two as UCR got out to its second straight hot start, but another offensive burst from the hosts put them in front at 8-5. Juliette D'Eliseo later put down her third kill to halt momentum.
The Mustangs picked up too much steam from then on and took set two, 25-12.
A kill and two solo blocks created a 3-0 lead in set three for UCR, who once again got out to a hot start. The two sides traded points and UC Riverside maintained a 6-4 edge, later at 11-8 with kills from Madison Pulsipher and Malia Tanksley. A 5-1 run pulled UCR into a 13-9 lead with Pulsipher accounting for three points until Cal Poly called timeout.
UCR forced another timeout after rushing out to an 18-13 advantage, and Andrea Brewer put down set point as the Highlanders are now the third Big West team to take a set off Cal Poly.
Poly took its turn getting the hot start in set four and led 15-10 at the media break, but UC Riverside swapped points with Cal Poly on a block and three kills from Doll. Pulsipher kept the Highlanders hanging around with kills five and six of the evening, but the Mustangs pushed through to shut the door.
UC Riverside returns to action on Friday, October 23, with a 6:00 pm first serve in the first Crosstown Showdown of the season against California Baptist on ESPN+. Tickets are available now at GoHighlanders.com/tickets.
