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PVF Indy Ignite

Indy Ignite Light It up with Victory in Opening PVF Match

January 12, 2025 - Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF)
Indy Ignite News Release


FISHERS, Ind. - Professional volleyball in Indianapolis tipped off in winning fashion Saturday night, as the Indy Ignite brought home the victory in their inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation match in front of a sellout crowd at Fishers Event Center.

Overcoming a shaky start, the Ignite recovered in style to defeat the Orlando Valkyries in four sets, 13-25, 25-19, 25-17 and 25-21. Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh led the Ignite attack with 25 kills and two blocks, with opposite hitter Azhani Tealer contributing 19 kills and three blocks.

Afterward, the Ignite players were thrilled with their performance, and more so with the 7,500 raucous fans who cheered them on to the win.

"It was such an incredible environment," said setter Sydney Hilley, who accounted for 44 of the team's 56 assists on the night. "Seeing the crowd, I think we got a little nervous. We wanted to really show them some Indy Ignite volleyball, so that first set was a lot of nerves. But I'm so proud of the way we came back.

"We talked about, 'Let's get this crowd into it, let's show 'em what Indy Ignite volleyball is, let's have some gritty defensive plays, get this crowd going.' And I think we kind of fed off that energy," Hilley added. "It was just so cool to be part of this environment and I'm so proud of this team for coming back after that first set."

Orlando, which won its season opener on Thursday over San Diego, ran off six unanswered points to build a 22-12 lead in the first set that proved insurmountable. In the timeout before the second set, the Ignite players and coaching staff urged a refocus on getting back to defensive basics and playing together.

Indy led 18-17 in the second set before tallying five straight points to surge ahead and even the match with a 25-19 win. The third set followed the same pattern - another five-point run put the Ignite in command at 19-12 and led to a 25-17 set victory. In the fourth and final set, the Ignite broke away from a 3-3 tie with four straight points and never trailed again, clinching the match with a 25-21 set win.

"I definitely think it was opening-night jitters," Member-Meneh said of the rebound following the first set. "We had a lot of new people on our team who were new to pro in general. And it's not very often that you get to play in front of a stage like this, in front of fans like this. "

"I know that it can be intimidating for some, but after the first set it was game over. We knew exactly what we had to do. We knew defense was super important and we decided to stick together and band together. We were all looking at each other and we're like, 'No, we're not leaving here without a dub!'"

One of the most interested spectators on hand at Fishers Event Center was PVF CEO Jen Spicher. She left impressed.

"I've been to every (PVF) opener there has been," Spicher said, "and this was nothing short of phenomenal! We knew Indiana was going to be a fantastic place to play women's indoor volleyball, we know what the state is to the sports world. Boy, those fans didn't disappoint. They showed up and showed out. It was an absolutely electric night. Thrilled to be a part of it."

And it's only the beginning, with 13 more home matches on the calendar to thrill the fan base.

"This is just the start of Indiana volleyball and I think we showed people that tonight," said libero Kylie Murr, a native of nearby Yorktown, Indiana. "I'm excited for the fans to come back, and I think it's only going to get better."

The Ignite take their 1-0 record into their next match, also at Fishers Event Center, at 7 p.m. ET Thursday against the Grand Rapids Rise. The match streams live on the PVF YouTube Channel with a same-day, tape-delay telecast airing at 10:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.

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