Abigail Mullen couldn’t have scripted a better collegiate debut. The freshman opposite hitter recorded a stunning double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs to lead USC to a commanding 3-0 sweep (28-26, 25-16, 25-20) of Denver on Friday night at Galen Center.
“We’ve been working on digging in the spring and summer so defense has always been a priority of mine,” Mullen said. “I’m really glad that some of the work paid off and I’m really glad I was able to provide that for the team.”
The Trojans improved to 40-10 all-time in season openers with a 3-3 mark under sixth-year head coach Brad Keller.
Mullen dominated from the opening serve hitting an impressive .414 while showcasing the complete skill set that made her one of the nation’s top recruits. Her performance highlighted a balanced USC attack that saw six different players contribute kills in the decisive third set.
The Trojans needed every bit of Mullen’s brilliance in a tightly contested opening set that featured 10 ties and four lead changes. USC seemed to be pulling away with a three-point advantage, but Denver refused to fold, forcing the Trojans to dig deep. With the set knotted 26-all, redshirt sophomore outside hitter London Wijay’s perfectly placed tip kill broke the deadlock before redshirt junior outside hitter Adonia Faumuina tooled around the Pioneer block for a 27-26 lead. Mullen sealed the dramatic 28-26 victory with her third kill of the frame, finishing with seven and tying her career high for a single set.
USC’s defensive pressure proved the difference in that opening set, holding Denver to just a 0.67 hitting percentage behind four team blocks while Mullen contributed six of her 13 total kills.
The Trojans found their rhythm in the second set, after a decisive 5-0 run to establish a 9-6 lead they would never relinquish. The balanced attack that would define the evening emerged, with four different players recording three kills apiece. Mullen shifted her focus to the back row, collecting six digs as USC hit .310 compared to Denver’s .152 clip in the 25-16 victory.
Any lingering drama disappeared in the third set as USC’s efficiency reached its peak form. The Trojans never trailed while posting a dominant .405 hitting percentage, led by five kills from Faumuina and four more from Mullen. Freshman setter Reese Messer, making her own impressive debut with 36 assists, distributed 11 in the final frame to showcase the court vision that made her a prized recruit.
Senior middle blocker Rylie McGinest provided a steady presence throughout, finishing with eight errorless kills on 14 attacks for a match-high .571 hitting percentage. Senior libero Gala Trubint anchored the defense with 11 digs, marking her 71st career match reaching double digits in that category.
For Denver, the loss marked a frustrating start despite competitive moments throughout the match. Genevieve Lewis led the Pioneers with 10 kills, while Alayna Finucan’s 12 digs topped all players. Emma Mirabelli contributed 11 digs and four kills in the losing effort.
The victory evened USC’s all-time series with Denver at 1-1, avenging a five-set loss to the Pioneers in the 2021 season opener. This time, the Trojans’ depth and home-court advantage proved decisive in a statement win to begin the 2025 campaign.
The record-breaking attendance figure surpassed the previous home opener mark of 5,385 set in 2011 against UCLA and represents the third-largest crowd in program history. Only rivalry matches against the Bruins in 2024 (7,303) and 2015 (6,346) have drawn larger crowds to Galen Center.
“That’s emotional for me, I’m very very proud of what this is becoming and it’s only starting,” Keller said of the opening night attendance. “We’ve built on the ground up since COVID and now that we’ve done that we have a great product. This team is vibrant.”
He emphasized the team’s dual mission: pursuing championships and packing the Galen Center to its 10,258-seat capacity, declaring that the program has nowhere to go but up.