No. 22 USC Defeats No. 13 Creighton Volleyball in Straight Sets

Strategic Insights -

Nebraska Creighton University Athletics was on the receiving end of a strong performance from No. 22 USC, as they were defeated in straight sets for the first time since 2018, winning the Trojan Invitational on Sunday afternoon. The Women of Troy were led by nine kills from London Wijay, while Abigail Mullen added seven kills and a team-high 12 digs. USC's strong performance was a result of consistent earning of sideouts, preventing Creighton from stringing together points, and ultimately leading to a 7-1 run to take a 17-9 lead midway through the third set.

Key Takeaways:

  • No. 22 USC defeated No. 13 Creighton Volleyball in straight sets (25-23, 25-22, 25-16) to win the Trojan Invitational on Sunday afternoon.
  • Senior Ava Martin led Creighton (3-3) with a match-high tying nine kills, while sophomore Jaya Johnson added seven kills and three blocks.
  • Annalea Maeder contributed another double-double with 26 assists and a team-high tying 12 digs for Creighton.
  • The Women of Troy, led by Abigail Mullen, who was named the Trojan Invitational MVP, closed the match with 35 kills, three aces, 46 digs, 10 blocks, and a hitting percentage of .357.
  • USC's strong performance in the final set was marked by a 7-1 run to take a 17-9 lead, ultimately leading to a 25-16 victory.
  • Both Ava Martin and Kiara Reinhardt earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team for the Bluejays.
  • USC won the round-robin tournament with a perfect 3-0 record, led by Trojan Invitational MVP Abigail Mullen.

Statistics:

  • No. 13 Creighton Volleyball finished the match with 36 kills, two aces, 44 digs, and five blocks while hitting .096 overall.
  • USC had a hitting percentage of .357 in the match, compared to Creighton's .096.
  • Abigail Mullen led USC with 12 digs and seven kills, while London Wijay added nine kills for the Women of Troy.
  • Creighton's Sydney Breissinger's serve was crucial in pushing Creighton ahead 23-20, before USC scored the final five points of the second set to take a 2-0 lead.

Sources:

  • Creighton University Athletics (original news release)
  • USC's Trojans website
  • Trojan Invitational official website
  • Various online news sources reporting on the event.