Ignite Take the Thrill Out of Vegas with Win in Four Sets
Indy Moves into Tie for Third Place in PVF Standings
By Mark Robinson
FISHERS, Ind. (February 27, 2025) – The Indy Ignite set the right tone with their first match following the Pro Volleyball Federation All-Star Match. Capitalizing on a complete team performance tonight, the Ignite defeated the visiting Vegas Thrill in four sets (25-23, 14-25, 25-18, 25-16).
The victory advanced Indy’s record to 7-5, tied with Vegas for third in the league standings. The Ignite have been particularly strong at Fishers Event Center, posting a 6-1 record on their home court.
“We needed that one,” said opposite hitter Azhani Tealer, one of four Ignite players named to the All-Star Team. “We set a team goal that we wanted to win or tie every (season) series with every team, and that’s a good start for us. We lost the first one to them, so we came out tonight with a little bit of a vengeance and it was good.”
Indy lost at Vegas on January 31 in a reverse sweep when the Thrill rallied to win the final three sets after dropping the first two. After Vegas won the second set tonight to even the match at one apiece, the Ignite were determined not to let the outcome repeat itself. Instead, Indy kicked in the after burners. Leading 17-16 in the third set, the Ignite closed it out with an 8-2 burst.
Indy jumped to a 3-0 lead in the fourth set and never trailed. Outside hitter Nina Cajic was deadly in that clincher, tallying eight kills and a block, scoring seven of the team’s last nine points.
Putting the second-set loss out of their minds quickly, Tealer said, was what allowed them to refocus, regain their composure and rally to victory.
“It was so bad,” she said of the second set, “that there were too many things to talk about. We just had to forget what just happened and go about our business. So, we did that.”
With her splendid fourth set numbers, Cajic paced the Ignite with 21 points on 18 kills, two blocks and a service ace. Tealer was close behind with 18 points (17 kills and an ace) to go along with 14 digs. Middle blockers Lydia Martyn (seven kills, three blocks, one ace) and CC Crawford (seven kills, two blocks, one ace) scored in double figures as well. Setter Sydney Hilley played her typical exemplary match, with 48 assists, seven digs, two blocks and an ace.
“I looked at the court at one point,” Tealer said with a laugh, “and I was like, ‘It’s a bunch of rookies and me and Syd.’ We’re proud of the rooks, though, they’re good.”
One of the “rooks” was outside hitter Anna DeBeer, making her first start. The Ignite’s first-round draft pick from Louisville played all four sets and totaled eight kills. Afterward, she teared up discussing her ongoing recovery from the serious ankle injury she sustained near the end of the collegiate season that kept her sidelined until a week ago.