UC San Diego had lost its first four five-set matches this season. On Saturday, the Tritons changed the ending in seven decisive points. They opened the fifth set 7-1 at UC Riverside and finished it 15-8, winning 25-17, 24-26, 25-20, 19-25, 15-8 behind a career-high 22 kills from Ireland McNees.
McNees hit .306 and added six digs, three blocks and two aces for 25.5 points. Molly McCluskey supplied 14 kills, nine digs, four aces and three blocks. Katelyn Hernandez reached 12 kills, Madison Johnson added eight with a team-high five blocks, and setter Marleena Catalan distributed 33 assists.
The Tritons took the first set by separating at the net and service line. Consecutive blocks involving Johnson and McCluskey highlighted a four-point run to 15-10. McNees and Jaedyn Houston served late aces. UCSD never let the lead close after the opening phase and finished 25-17.
Riverside answered in the second. UCSD moved ahead 19-17 behind McNees' serving and later erased two set points at 24-22. The Highlanders won the next two rallies for 26-24. The Tritons rebuilt in the third, racing to 9-2 with two McCluskey aces and one from Paulina Baillie before Riverside tied it at 17.
McNees ended that threat. UCSD outscored the Highlanders 7-2 down the stretch, with two of her kills closing a 25-20 set. Riverside then found a six-point run in the fourth and another three-point swing to move ahead 17-13. A 25-19 set forced the deciding frame and put UCSD back in the situation it had not solved all season.
Four different Tritons contributed kills during the 7-1 start to the fifth, capped by a McCluskey ace. Riverside narrowed the gap to 10-6. Hernandez answered with a kill, and McNees combined with Lucia Barroso on a block during a three-point response. McCluskey and Johnson delivered the final two kills.
UCSD led 63-53 in kills, 10-3 in aces, 49-44 in digs and .265 to .226 in hitting percentage. Riverside held an 11-8 blocking edge. Across two weekend matches in Riverside, the Tritons served 21 aces while allowing four. McNees totaled 41 kills and hit .405 over nine sets.
Catalan's 33 assists were paired with 21 from Brynne McGhie, allowing UCSD to change setters without narrowing the attack to one hitter. Baillie supplied 19 digs and three aces, the back-row balance to McNees' scoring. Riverside's blocking advantage explains some of the 24 Triton attack errors, but the seven-ace margin returned more points than the net deficit surrendered. UCSD also finished with 60 assists, 12 more than Riverside, keeping the offense supplied through all five sets.
The win moved UCSD to 7-8 overall with a 3-1 Big West mark. It was also their third conference win in four league matches. Sacramento State and Utah Valley visit La Jolla next weekend. One fifth-set victory does not erase four earlier losses, but it provides a complete sequence the Tritons can reuse: establish multiple attackers early, answer the opponent's first closing run, and prevent the last five points from becoming a negotiation.