This past week, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) women’s volleyball team finished their season with a pair of home games against California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO) and the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). While the Highlanders were already mathematically eliminated from the Big West playoffs. They still found the spirit to take it to two of the better teams in the conference.
Going into Thursday’s game, the Mustangs were in the midst of a four-game winning streak and hadn’t dropped a single set in any of those games. A spot in the playoffs was already a lock for Cal Poly SLO, but a win against the Highlanders could mean a chance at being crowned regular season champions and an advantageous bye into the Big West semifinal.
Sitting well outside the playoff picture, the Highlanders looked just like another bump in the road for Cal Poly SLO. However, UCR was motivated by the impending departure of key seniors like right side Carissa Wiles and setter Beatriz Silva and played hard for them in their final games.
The first set started as expected. The Mustangs jumped out to a quick lead and it appeared they would cruise to an easy first set victory. But out of nowhere, the Highlanders stormed back with a couple of big runs to shock the visitors. Aided by a handful of attack errors from Cal Poly SLO’s outside hitters, redshirt senior Tommi Stockham and redshirt junior Lizzy Markovska, UCR escaped with the first set.
The Mustangs would go on to win the second and third set, but UCR refused to stay down. The Highlanders jumped out to a quick lead in the fourth set thanks to a couple of kills from sophomore right side Trinity Sheridan and another pair of attack errors from Markovska and freshman middle blocker Chloe Leluge. UCR carried the momentum through the fourth set to force the all-important fifth set.
The two teams went back and forth in the fifth set and it looked like anyone’s game. But a service error from Silva followed by an attack error from junior middle blocker Layla Hooks gave the Mustangs the final push across the finish line. Cal Poly SLO got the win they desperately needed, but the Highlanders put on an incredibly gutsy display.
The energy built by UCR from Thursday’s game seemed to carry on into Saturday’s matchup against UCSB. The Gauchos were on the playoff bubble and needed to beat the Highlanders to keep their season alive. Meanwhile, UCR refused to spoil senior night celebrations with a loss.
The first set was close with the Gauchos maintaining a slight advantage. However, they threw it away with a trio of service errors. Then, aces from Silva and junior outside hitter Kailyn Jager gave the Highlanders the lead and they never looked back. UCR closed out the set with a 10-2 run and earned the first set victory.
The Gauchos held a 20-13 lead in the second set, but the Highlanders once again rallied from behind late in the set. This time going on a 15-3 run to miraculously win the second set. The Gauchos had let a second straight set slip away from them. With their season on the line, UCSB cleaned up their mistakes and won the third set with a commanding 25-15 scoreline.
The fourth set was super tight and if the Gauchos could win the set, momentum would have been on their side in the fifth. But with the score at 19-19, UCSB committed four straight attack errors and handed the Highlanders the set and match.
With the win, UCR finished the season with a 5-13 conference record. A huge accomplishment considering their 0-7 start that included a six-game drought where the Highlanders failed to win a single set. UCR could have given up on their season then, but displayed plenty of grit and passion to end the year 5-6.
