Top Seed Ignite Eager to Back up Winning Season with MLV Championship; Indy Faces Omaha in Rematch of 2025 Semifinal Thriller
MLV Indy Ignite

Top Seed Ignite Eager to Back up Winning Season with MLV Championship; Indy Faces Omaha in Rematch of 2025 Semifinal Thriller

Published on May 6, 2026 under Major League Volleyball (MLV)
Indy Ignite News Release


FRISCO, Texas - Everything the Indy Ignite has worked for since December has led to this. Months of toiling as a team in practices and matches. Perfecting their craft and game. Battling through the grind of a demanding season and developing the Ignite's signature fun, competitive team chemistry.

Under the guidance of head coach Lauren Bertolacci, a first-year MLV coach whose fast-paced offense has taken the league by storm, Indy scorched the competition in the regular season. The Ignite won 23 of 28 matches, setting an MLV record for victories with a potent attack and positioning themselves as the top seed in the four-team tournament that gets under way Thursday at Comerica Center.

A year ago, the Ignite eked their way into the playoffs as the fourth seed in their inaugural season. They upended No. 1 Omaha in the semifinals before falling to Orlando in the championship match that pays a $1 million prize to the winning team.

Indy and Omaha square off once more in this year's semifinals (7 p.m. ET Thursday, ION network), but the Ignite enter as the hunted and not the hunter. By virtue of their stellar regular season, the Ignite are the top seed and championship favorites, but they know it's a one-and-done situation.

It's why Bertolacci has been pleased to see her team put in uncomfortable situations throughout the season - be it falling behind in a match, not playing in sync, injury issues and more. Her players have responded tremendously nearly every time and absorbed the lessons on how to win even when everything isn't going their way.

"These women have understood that every game has prepared us for what's coming," Bertolacci said. "We've known the whole season that the goal was to get into the playoffs and then it resets. It's a one-and-done semifinal against a team that we're 2-2 against. We understand what tasks we're up for, and I think we've been talking all season about getting in different situations and managing them.

"We've been through enough situations where we've had leads, blown them, come back from deficits and gone on to win. We've been trying each time we're in a situation to take note of that, how we respond and know that we're ready to just fight through whatever comes."

In Omaha, Indy sees an opponent in which it's had epic battles against, not the least being the five-set, come-from-behind triumph in last year's semifinals. It was Omaha that had to squeeze its way into the postseason this year, enduring multiple lineup maneuvers, a late-season coaching change and a 14-14 record that earned the fourth seed. Still, the Supernovas are one of just three teams to beat the Ignite this season ... and they did so twice.

"They're a very talented team and we've gone 2-2 with them this year, so anything could happen," said Ignite middle blocker Lydia Martyn, one of four Indy players named both to the All-MLV First Team and as the league's player of the year at their position. "But I think we are a team who's not going to back down. Even if we are down a couple points, we're just going to come back and try and get three or four on top of that. Just the grit and the way we all mesh together is very unique, and not every team has what we have in that regard."

Libero Elena Scott, another of the Ignite quartet to earn all-first team and position player of the year honors, stressed the extra preparation that Bertolacci and the coaching staff have provided as being invaluable.

"Lauren does a great job of deep diving into the teams we're going to play and setting us up as best as possible," Scott said. "She really prepares us throughout the week and honestly throughout the whole season for this moment."

Seven Ignite players returned from the 2025 team, including Martyn, Scott, opposite hitter Azhani Tealer and outside hitters Leketor Member-Meneh and Anna DeBeer. All are vital members of the lineup this season. Member-Meneh has extra motivation this time since she was injured and unavailable to play last year.

"I had one prayer to God and that was to be available for every game this season, and he's done that," she said. "We've got two more games to go, so I'm grateful that I'm here and I get the opportunity to play in this championship. Let's go get this money!"

Tealer, an All-MLV First Teamer for the second straight year and MLV Opposite Hitter of the Year in 2026, believes the experience gained in last year's postseason coupled with the knowledge earned from the situations they've faced this season has Ignite in the best possible position.

"We have a lot of experience under our belt that we didn't have last year in terms of coming back from leads and winning and winning a lot," Tealer said. "Lauren always says it, but winning breeds winning. We know that we can go out there and beat whoever's in front of us. I'm really excited and it definitely feels different than last year, which is a good difference."

No. 2 seed and MLV Championship host Dallas takes on No. 3 San Diego in Thursday's second semifinal. The MLV Championship, the "Match for a Million," tips off at 3 p.m. ET Saturday. All matches will be telecast on the ION network.

The Ignite are hosting three watch parties in the Indianapolis area Thursday. The parties are set for Westfield Collective/iBeach31, 750 E. 181st Street in Westfield; Parks Place Pub, 8594 E. 116th St., Suite 70, Fishers; and The District Tap, 3720 E. 82nd St., Indianapolis.

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