BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Starting fast is a nice trait in a volleyball match, but finishing strong is an even better one. That was the lesson learned by the CSUB volleyball team in a 15-25, 20-25, 25-16, 27-25, 15-10 loss to UC Riverside Friday night in the Icardo Center.

The match was more a case of which team played better than which team lost. CSUB hit .295 for the match, its highest-ever hitting percentage in an NCAA Division I match it did not win. UCR was even better, hitting .319.

"I thought overall we played well," said CSUB Head Coach John Price. "I thought we got a little tentative in the third set and Riverside took advantage, then we didn't get a couple of breaks in the fourth.

"It's part of the growing process with a young team," he continued. "I'm confident we'll learn from this and be a better team down the road."

CSUB (10-11 overall) hit .619 in cruising to a first set win. The Roadrunner never trailed in the second, though UCR (2-12) made it a bit more interesting than the first.

But the young Roadrunners eased up in the third, while the more experience Highlanders kept charging. UCR turned the tables in an easy third set win to set up what proved to be the decisive fourth set.

The teams played through 16 ties and eight lead changes in the fourth. CSUB had the first big swings, earning a pair of match points at 24-22. But three Tonbara Youpele kills turned the tide as Riverside held on to force the fifth set.

The fifth set proved somewhat anticlimactic - and was the only set in which neither team looked sharp. CSUB made eight total errors in the sprint to 15 points, yet trailed just 10-8 when a Barbie Unfried (Bakersfield HS) dig put the Roadrunners in transition with a chance to make it 10-9.

But CSUB couldn't generate a swing out of the opportunity, and the unforced error restored a UCR lead that wouldn't dip below three for the balance of the match.

Sophomore outside hitter Lindy DeGeare (Stockdale HS) led a balanced CSUB offense with 13 kills. Lindsay Toone (11), Alysia Baker (10) and Unfried (10) also reached double figures for CSUB.

Baker and Unfried added four service aces each.

Dominique Cowling and Youpele led a top-heavy UCR attack with 22 and 20 kills respectively. Cowling completed the double-double with a team-high 12 digs.

CSUB returns to action Tuesday when it hosts undefeated and NAIA No. 1 ranked Fresno Pacific at 7 p.m.