Valkyries Fall in Straight Sets to League-Leading Ignite, Drop to 10-15
MLV Orlando Valkyries

Valkyries Fall in Straight Sets to League-Leading Ignite, Drop to 10-15

Published on April 24, 2026 under Major League Volleyball (MLV)
Orlando Valkyries News Release


ORLANDO, Fla. - Looking to get back on track and gain some momentum against the league's top team, the Valkyries were unable to turn the tide against the Indy Ignite, falling in straight sets and dropping their fourth match in a row and on the verge of missing the playoffs.

"We've been working really hard to find that combination that's going to click and we just haven't had it lately," head coach Amy Pauly stated when talking about the rough stretch the offense has been in. "I thought we served much better than Sunday but felt like our block wasn't as strong. Indy's a really tough group to crack, which is why they are 20-5 on the season. We're trying to get this thing figured out ahead of a red-hot Grand Rapids team on Saturday."

Looking to get out to a faster start and put some pressure on Indy, Orlando looked to a different starting lineup, going with Lindsey Vander Weide, Hannah Pukis, Zoe Weatherington, Kaz Brown, Natalie Foster, Charitie Luper and Teodora Pusic. Orlando would go on to finish the match hitting .178, an improvement from their previous three matches, but not enough to outlast the Ignite. Zoe Weatherington would the Valkyries with nine points.

On the other side of the net came Indy's league leading attack, who came into tonight leading the league in kills (1401) and points (1714), as they finished the night hitting .354 as a team. Newcomer Jaelyn Keene, who the Ignite recently added ahead of the deadline, showed out in her 2026 MLV debut, grabbing 10 points while hitting .533. She joined her teammates Leketor Member-Meneh (12) and Azhani Tealer (11) as the only three players to surpass double digit points.

Ahead of the Valkyries by two wins, Grand Rapids (12-14) is right on the heels of Omaha (13-13). Orlando will look to play spoiler come Saturday night.

Notes:

The Valkyries were led by Zoe Weatherington with nine points

Adanna Schad came off the bench and grabbed four kills, hitting .273

The Valkyries have lost four in a row, the longest losing streak this season

Next Match: Orlando Valkyries (10-15) @ Grand Rapids Rise (12-14) | Saturday, April 25 7:00 p.m. ET | Van Andel Arena| Samsung TV Plus

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Major League Volleyball Stories from April 24, 2026


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