Full Day of Volleyball Action Available on Ignite Firestorm Appreciation Night
Catch a College Scrimmage, Pre-Match Practice and More on Saturday
By: Mark Robinson
FISHERS, Ind. (April 10, 2025) – The Indy Ignite are hosting much more than a typical Pro Volleyball Federation match Saturday when they take on the Grand Rapids Rise at Fishers Event Center. Before the main event, the Ignite are offering fans the chance to see a collegiate scrimmage, meet players from three college teams and the rare opportunity to see both Indy and Grand Rapids go through pre-match practice on Firestorm Appreciation Night presented by Best One Tire & Service.
The first serve for the Ignite-Rise match is set for 7 p.m. ET Saturday but the action begins much earlier for fans with tickets. Doors open at Fishers Event Center at 2 p.m. The teams from Purdue and Vanderbilt universities will battle in a spring scrimmage on the Ignite’s home court at 3 p.m. Following that, fans for the first time, can watch the Ignite and Rise go through their pre-match practice routines.
Beginning at 5 p.m. on the FORUM Credit Union Plaza in front of Fishers Event Center, Indy is hosting the Firestorm Fan Fest where players from Purdue and Vanderbilt will be available to meet and get autographs, as well as players from the University of Kentucky, which is also scrimmaging nearby Saturday. The Fan Fest will also offer tailgate games, grass volleyball, food trucks, giveaways and more before fans head into the arena for the Ignite-Rise match.
“This will be the ultimate weekend for the volleyball fan,” said Carly Klanac, Vice President of Marketing & Game Day Experience for the Ignite. “We will have a college game day experience with Purdue and Vanderbilt in their spring scrimmage. Then at the Firestorm Fan Fest we’ll have grass courts, cross net, other lawn games, food trucks and a huge festival for fans to celebrate the Ignite and volleyball here in our great state. All of that will be followed by an important match for our No. 3-ranked Ignite team as we try to close in on securing a playoff spot.”
Tickets for Firestorm Appreciation Night presented by Best One Tire & Service are available from Ticketmaster via the Ignite website.
With seven matches remaining, Indy is still in the hunt for a postseason berth. The Ignite, at 12-9, are tied for third in PVF, with the top four advancing to the playoffs. Grand Rapids, which advanced to the championship match last year before losing to Omaha, is 9-12 this season and fifth in the standings but has dropped four of its last five outings.
The Ignite are 2-0 against the Rise this season, Indy winning most recently in four sets at Grand Rapids on March 15. The Rise host the Vegas Thrill on Thursday before taking on the Ignite.
Hilley Enters PVF Record Book for Assists in a Season
Ignite setter Sydney Hilley has already eclipsed the PVF record for assists in a regular season with seven matches still remaining. Hilley has totaled 1,005 assists in 21 matches to break the mark of 1,000 set last year by Grand Rapids’ Ashley Evans in 24 matches. Hilley, averaging 11.82 assists per set, is also on pace to break Evans’ 2024 average of 10.99 per set.
Ignite head coach George Padjen has known Hilley since she started training with him at the Minnesota Select volleyball club when Hilley was just 13. Padjen knew then that Hilley was “very special” and is thankful to have her guiding the Ignite attack.