UC Riverside Highlanders women’s volleyball team lost 3-0 to the Sacramento State Hornets women’s volleyball team on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at The Nest in Sacramento, California. The loss dropped UC Riverside to 4-9 overall and 0-2 in Big West Conference play, while Sacramento State improved to 7-6 overall and remained undefeated at 2-0 in conference.
UC Riverside started the match with early kills from Madison Pulsipher and Zeynep Belgutay but could not overcome a slow first set. The Highlanders showed resilience in the second set, opening with a 3-0 lead. Andrea Brewer tied the score at 5-5 with a kill and later gave UC Riverside its first lead of the match at 6-5. Despite holding a close margin through the set, including blocks by Nicole Hughes and Belgutay helping retain serve, Sacramento State edged ahead to win the set.
The third set also saw a strong start from UC Riverside, which took leads of 6-2 and 7-3 aided by Sacramento State attack errors. Elena Kasavica served an ace to extend the advantage to 11-5, and Evelyn Hendrix added a kill to sustain pressure. Sacramento State responded with key runs that halted the Highlanders’ momentum and secured the final set and match.
UC Riverside will return home for its next match against UC Irvine on Friday, October 2, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., which will be broadcast on ESPN+. Tickets are available at GoHighlanders.com.
CSB Take
Despite showing competitive energy and briefly leading in the second and third sets, UC Riverside Highlanders have yet to gain traction in Big West play, now standing at 0-2 in conference matches. The performances of players like Madison Pulsipher, Zeynep Belgutay, and Andrea Brewer are key as the team looks to build consistency and convert strong openings into full-set victories. The upcoming home contest against UC Irvine is an important chance for the Highlanders to regain momentum and confidence early in the conference season.
Source: Original report
