Eagles set sights on Missouri S&T Triangular
University of Southern Indiana Volleyball rose another rank in the AVCA DII Top 25 poll today, moving up to 12th nationally, a program high for national ranking. USI travels to Missouri S&T (Rolla, Missouri) to take on the Miners and the Tritons of UMSL on Saturday, March 6.
The 12th-ranked Screaming Eagles are one of seven ranked teams from the GLVC in the latest AVCA top-25 poll and are only behind top-ranked Lewis and No. 7 UMSL.
The Screaming Eagles head back west for another GLVC triangular on Saturday, March 6, this time hosted by Missouri S&T at Gibson Arena. USI will take on the hosting-Miners at 10 A.M. and then getting right back on the court at 2 P.M. to take on No. 7 UMSL to close out the weekend. Missouri S&T sits 5-3 on the season, dropping its latest match to McKendree. Seventh-ranked UMSL has won its last two outings and has only one loss on the season, courtesy of No. 1 Lewis.
THIS SEASON:
Going into the weekend, the Eagles have won seven straight matches after dropping the first match of the season. Prior to USI’s matches against Maryville and William Jewell on February 27, the Eagles won 15-straight sets, beating GLVC-foes McKendree, Indianapolis, then-No.6 Rockhurst, Lindenwood, and Illinois Springfield. The sole USI loss this season was to then-No. 14 Lewis (currently ranked first nationally) in a five-set match on January 29.
The Screaming Eagles earned the first national ranking in program history with its No. 18 rank in the February 10 AVCA poll and have since moved up to 17th (2/17/21), 13th (2/24/21) and are currently ranked 12th.
Sophomore Leah Anderson earned USI’s first National Player of the Week honors since 2011 following her performance against then-No. 6 Rockhurst and Lindenwood at the USI-hosted GLVC triangular. The outside hitter posted 6.42 points per set (38.5 total), a .446 hitting percentage, 34 kills (5.67 per set), along with 18 digs total over the six-set, two match weekend. She also earned GLVC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week.
NOTES:
Senior setter Casey Cepicky looks to move up into fifth in career assists this weekend, sititng just 31 shy of Melanie Pund (2,521). Cepicky currently ranks sixth all-time in career assists in the USI record book wiht 2,490 following the matches on February 27.
Leah Anderson has posted impressive numbers early on in the season, ranking highly in the GLVC in aces (second – 0.59 per set), kills (third – 3.63 per set), and points (third – 4.44 per set).
The Eagles own four other players ranked in the top-10 in the GLVC statistically as well with Cepicky ranking fourth in aces (0.45 per set) and fifth in assists (9.03 per set), Taylor Litteken (second – .354) and Sidney Hegg (eighth – .307) in hitting percentage, and Abby Weber ranking 10th in service aces (0.37 per set)
