USI Volleyball earned its first national ranking in program history (AVCA)
University of Southern Indiana Women’s Volleyball earned its first national ranking in program history following the team’s second-straight sweep of a GLVC-foe. The Eagles are ranked 18th in the second AVCA DII Coaches’ Top 25 poll of the 2020-21 season, one of seven GLVC programs to be ranked in the top-25. USI’s sole loss was against then-No. 14 Lewis (currently ranked No. 2 at 3-0) in a five-set contest.
The Screaming Eagles hit the road for a Saturday morning bout against McKendree. The Eagles are coming off back-to-back 3-0 sweeps of GLVC East-rivals Illinois Springfield and Indianapolis. No. 18 USI will take on the Bearcats at 11 A.M. on Saturday, February 13.
NOTES:
Casey Cepicky doled out 88 assists in the three matches for the Eagles (8.00 per set). She sits sixth all-time in the USI record book for career assists with 2,351, 170 behind fifth all-time (Melanie Pund - 2,521).
Leah Anderson sliced up opponents’ defenses through the first three matches of the season, leading USI in points (54.0, 4.91 per set, 54.0), kills (42, 3.82 per set), hitting percentage (.215), and service aces (10, 0.91 per set).
Anderson and Cepicky both have recorded two double-doubles on the season, coming against Lewis and Indianapolis. Anderson posted 16 kills/15 digs against Lewis and 17 kills/10 digs against Indianapolis. Cepicky went for 32 assists/13 digs versus the Flyers and 33 assists/12 digs in the sweep over Indianapolis.
The Southern Indiana defense has been a collective through the first three mathces of the season with three players averaging nearly three digs per set and three others averaging upwards of one dig per set. The Eagles’ block numbers feature a similar pattern with junior Sidney Hegg headlining the effort with seven (0.64 per set). She is follwed by Taylor Litteken (5.0), Anderson (4.0), Cepicky (3.0), and Katherine Koch (3.0).
USI leads the GLVC in service aces per set (2.09) and is second in total service aces (23). Anderson leads the Eagles with 10 on the season, while Cepicky has six.
