RIVERSIDE, Calif. – In a battle of early-season unbeatens, the San Francisco Dons fell to UC Riverside 66-53 Saturday afternoon from SRC Arena in its first road game of the 2014-15 campaign.

After opening the season 3-0 for the first time since 1983-84, USF gets its first blemish on the year while the Highlanders move to 3-0 after starting the season with victories over future Dons' opponents Santa Clara and San Jose State.

Junior Taylor Proctor paced the Dons on the day, with 13 points and 13 rebounds, her second double-double of the season. Senior Taj Winston finished with 12 points and a team-high three assists, and Zhane Dikes added 12 points to bolster USF's scoring.

After holding the lead for the first 17 minutes of action, UC Riverside nabbed the lead from the Dons late in the first half. However, USF opened up the second with an eight point run capped by a successful and-1 from Winston to give the Dons the 33-28 lead. Riverside would answer with a 18-0 spurt of its own as Simone DeCoud continued her deadly outside shooting, and Brittany Crain added a string of points. During the five-minute scoreless span, the Dons committed five turnovers and were 0-for-7 from the field.

After UC Riverside's Brittany Crian made it 45-33 on a layup, the damage was done. The Dons clawed back to get the margin to eight points after Dikes converted a layup and free throw with 1:28 on the clock, but USF could not reduce the deficit further, falling 66-53 on the road.

USF opened the game with the lead, and maintained that advantage for a good portion of the first half. After Spietz took the opening tip, the Dons scored the first four points of the contest. The Dons extended the advantage to 13-4 with 13:31 to play in the half after a string of three straight layups. USF continued its control of the lead late in the half, and after back-to-back layups from Michaela Rakova and Proctor the Dons were up 21-14 with 7:09 remaining in the period.

The USF offense hit a dry spell to close the period as UC Riverside ended the half on a 12-2 run. Back-to-back 3-pointers by DeCoud gave Riverside its first lead in the game at 24-21, and the half finished with a final tally of 26-23 in favor of the Highlanders.

USF outrebounded the Highlanders 45-41 in the contest, and finished with a 28-16 advantage in points in the paint. UC Riverside finished with a foursome of double-digit scorers, paced by 21 from DeCoud, and a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double from Michelle Curry.

Next, the Dons return home to the friendly confines of War Memorial Gym, where USF will take on Nevada Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., as part of a twin bill on the Hilltop. The Game will follow USF volleyball senior festivities, and fans can receive a $5 ticket to take in both contests in exchange for a non-perishable food item to donate to the SF-Marin Food Bank.