Ignite Fire Back for Important Win Heading into All-Star Break
Indy Returns Serve with Comeback Victory over Atlanta
By: Mark Robinson
FISHERS, Ind. (February 20, 2025) – The Indy Ignite were hungry for a victory heading into the Pro Volleyball Federation All-Star break. They got it tonight at Fishers Event Center, but not without some early discomfort.
After dropping the first set 25-16 to the Atlanta Vibe – the same team that defeated Indy in five sets on Sunday – the Ignite rallied behind strong team play to sweep the next three sets, 25-20, 25-11 and 25-20, to secure their sixth win against five losses this season.
Most Ignite players now have a week off before playing February 27 against the visiting Vegas Thrill. A trio from Indy – opposite hitter Azhani Tealer, setter Sydney Hilley and libero Kylie Murr – will play in Saturday’s PVF All-Star Match, set for 1:30 p.m. ET at Fishers Event Center (live on CBS).
“We needed a win today, for sure,” Tealer said after leading Indy with 16 kills and two blocks in the match. “This is a tough league and everyone’s beating everyone; everyone’s good. To get a win against a team like that – they’re really hot right now – it’s really fun.”
Atlanta vaulted away from a 7-7 tie in the opening set with seven- and five-point runs to put it out of reach. Ignite head coach George Padjen instructed his players to be quicker defending at the net starting in the second set, and it paid off.
“We started being faster at the net with our hands, slowing them down,” Padjen said. “They’re a very fast-tempo offense so we were late on a lot of blocks in Game 1, and they did a good job serving in Game 1 too. I think the speed of how we got over the net (in later sets), it changes your eye line when you start seeing hands earlier. We were late on almost everything in Game 1, so give credit to us.”
Padjen also credited All-Star setter Sydney Hilley for distributing the ball more in the final three sets. Hilley handed out 44 assists in the match, just shy of her league-leading average of 11.59 per set.
“Syd did a better job with flow,” Padjen explained. “She was moving the ball faster in tempo from pin to pin and it makes it harder (to defend). She got ‘Z’ (Tealer) in a good space, got her running a little bit and built some rhythm with her. I thought Syd did a great job distributing after Game 1.”
Still, Indy trailed 10-6 in the second set before going on a 9-3 run to take the lead. The Ignite closed the set with an 8-4 stretch. Middle blockers Lydia Martyn (four kills, one block) and CC Crawford (two kills, one service ace) were particularly strong in sparking the comeback.
“I credited Lydia and CC all game long,” Tealer said. “They worked really hard all game and when they’re working hard like that, it clears up everything for everyone else. So, kudos to them and Syd.”
Crawford was quick to spread the credit.
“Definitely a team effort,” Crawford said after finishing with a season/career-high 12 kills and an astonishing 75% kill percentage and efficiency without an error. “I think we tried to dial in on some key focuses, changing block setups, running different routes, trying to mix things up and attack different areas of the court. I think we were successful in that way.”
Indy jumped on Atlanta quickly in the third set, sprinting to a 7-3 lead and then reeling off six straight points to take an insurmountable 24-10 advantage. The Ignite led early in the fourth set but the Vibe remained in striking distance until Tealer had a block and two kills to build a 24-20 lead and Crawford delivered the match-sealing kill in the 25-20 triumph.
“The resilience and toughness they showed after losing that first game like that, that’s exactly who we want to be,” Padjen said. “But we want to start (matches) like that.”
The victory also provided a welcome good “vibe” for the Ignite to take into the All-Star break.