Ignite Close Regular Season with Inspiring Victory

FISHERS, Indiana, May 3, 2026. – Determined to give their fans a fitting end to a memorable, record-breaking season, the Indy Ignite turned up the heat today to topple another team bound for the postseason, the San Diego Mojo.

The 22-25, 25-13, 30-28, 25-17 victory completed Indy’s regular season at 23-5, the best record in Major League Volleyball history. Thirteen of those wins came at Fishers Event Center, against a single home defeat. The Ignite take a five-match winning streak and the top seed to the MLV Championship at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas, where they’ll square off with Omaha at 7 p.m. ET Thursday in the semifinals. A win there vaults them into the title match at 3 p.m. Saturday.

The match with San Diego was meaningless in the standings – the Mojo had already locked up the No. 3 postseason seed and will meet host Dallas in Thursday’s other semifinal. Still, playoff intensity filled the arena as the Ignite rebounded fiercely after dropping the opening set to take three straight from the Mojo.

“I think both teams really put their best foot forward today and wanted to move into the playoffs with rhythm and with energy,” Ignite head coach Lauren Bertolacci said. “We spoke about it being Fan Appreciation Night and we definitely wanted to give the fans the sendoff that they deserve as well for coming out to all these home games and helping us have a really, really great home record. We were pumped to be able to do that.”

After the rocky start, Indy hit an astounding 53.8 percent (14 of 26) on 50.0 percent efficiency in the second set to rout San Diego 25-13, with three of Indy’s MLV All-Stars playing key roles. Opposite hitter Azhani Tealer was a perfect 5-for-5 hitting, while libero Elena Scott (three digs, six assists) and setter Mia Tuaniga (six digs, seven assists) took turns guiding the offense and leading the defense.

“San Diego's a good serving team,” Tealer explained, “so we were a lot in medium-system situations and taking more risks there. And I think we scored really well, especially our left side. Yeah, the second set was much better.”

The marathon third set netted a total of seven saved set points before a Tealer back-row kill and Tuaniga service ace won it for Indy, 30-28. In addition to her ace, Tuaniga handed out 18 assists. Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh also scored on seven kills and an ace.

Middle blocker Jaelyn Keene led the fourth-set surge that helped Indy recover from a 13-12 deficit and outscore San Diego 13-4 the rest of the way. Keene had four kills and two aces in the set, outside hitter Anna DeBeer chipped in four kills and middle blocker Lydia Martyn terminated the match with a block for the 25-17 clincher.

Tealer topped all Ignite scorers with 20 points on 18 kills and a pair of aces. DeBeer scored 16 (14 kills, one block, one ace) and Member-Meneh 15 (13 kills, two aces). As a team, Indy compiled impressive kill percentage (43.6) and efficiency (30.2) rates and tied its season high with eight aces.

“It was nice to feel a little bit more in rhythm,” said Keene, who put up her best numbers in points (14), kills (11) and aces (two) in her third match since joining the team, “but kudos to our setters and our passers for getting us those balls to be able to do that.

“It takes a little heart and determination to come out after a first-set loss, and I think that's good for us,” Keene added, “especially going into what's to come because it's one-and-done the next two games. Hopefully, we remember that and we come out ready to go first set, second set, third set, fifth set, all the sets.”

Scott was amazing once again at libero, thrashing for 16 digs while dishing 11 assists and passing at an 80 percent positive rate (40 percent perfect). She was among four Ignite players to register double-doubles along with Tuaniga (49 assists, 14 digs), Member-Meneh (13 digs) and DeBeer (10 digs).

Following the match, Bertolacci thanked the fans for their unwavering support, calling Fishers Event Center “the best environment in America” and encouraging as many Ignite fans as possible to join the team in Texas for the MLV Championship.

“A big goal of at least mine coming in with a team that we kind of assembled this year was to make it entertaining,” she said. “I think that we've done a great job as a team doing that, as a front office creating the production for the fans to enjoy that and help push the atmosphere forward. We're really grateful for everybody and we know we wouldn't be with this record without them. Really hoping that everyone's there to try and bring that Ignite atmosphere to Dallas.”

San Diego capped the regular season leading the league in total digs (1,944) and digs per set (17.51). The total ranks second in league history, while the average marks the best since 2024.