PENSACOLA, Fla.—University of Southern Indiana Volleyball senior setter Casey Cepicky (St. Louis, Missouri) recorded her 3,000th career assist Friday, but the Screaming Eagles suffered a pair of losses to open the 2021 season at the UWF Springhill Suites Invitational.
 
USI (0-2) saw a two-set lead slip away in a 25-22, 25-15, 25-27, 22-25, 12-15 loss to No. 23 Wheeling University Friday morning. Host University of West Florida defeated the Eagles 25-16, 25-14, 25-16 in nightcap.
 
Sophomore right side hitter Katherine Koch (Belleville, Illinois) had 17 kills and 14 digs to pace USI against Wheeling, while sophomore outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) contributed 13 kills, 16 digs and four aces in the first match.
 
Cepicky recorded her 3,000th career assist in USI's second-set win over Wheeling. She finished with a career-high 61 assists to go along with five kills, eight digs and five blocks.
 
USI struggled to get anything going against West Florida as the host Argonauts hit .411 while holding the Eagles' attack to a .173 clip.
 
Anderson had seven kills to lead USI's attack, while Cepicky and senior libero Callie Gubera (Thorntown, Indiana) respectively contributed 25 assists and nine digs.
 
The Eagles return to action Saturday at 11 a.m. when they take on Palm Beach Atlantic University. They finish their four-match opening weekend Saturday at 3 p.m. when they take on Spring Hill College.