It’s Go Time for Ignite in PVF Championship Semifinals

It’s Go Time for Ignite in PVF Championship Semifinals

‘This is what we’ve been playing the whole season for, this game, so we’re ready’

By Mark Robinson

HENDERSON, Nev. (May 9, 2025) – It’s time to get down to business.

Indy Ignite players and coaches have spent most of the week in Las Vegas preparing for their showdown with the Omaha Supernovas in the BIC Soleil Pro Volleyball Federation Championship semifinals. Intertwined with daily practices to remain razor sharp, the players were also busy participating in a media day for the final four teams and team bonding experiences including making custom trucker hats at Halo Hat Co. Small groups of players and staff also set about “The City That Never Sleeps” to take in shows and sporting events, allowing the chance to relax before match action begins.

That comes tonight, when the Ignite face off against the top-seeded and defending PVF champs at Lee’s Family Forum just outside Las Vegas. CBS Sports Network broadcasts the match live starting at 8 p.m. ET, with the other semifinal between Atlanta and Orlando to follow. Winners advance to Sunday’s “Match for a Million” that pays $1 million to the 2025 PVF championship team (4 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network).

Indy and Omaha have already met in four intense battles this season. Ignite head coach George Padjen expects it to ratchet up even more tonight.

All four teams went through a final full practice Thursday at Lee’s Family Forum, the home of PVF team the Vegas Thrill. While the players realize there’s more on the line now, they’re still trying to approach it like each of the 28 regular-season matches that preceded it.

“Obviously, there’s different stakes on this game,” said Ignite opposite hitter and All-PVF First-Teamer Azhani Tealer, “but I think we’re taking it one step at a time, one day at a time. We’ve been here a long time (this week), so just excited to get going and excited to play. This is what we’ve been playing the whole season for, this game, so we’re ready.”

“I’m just really excited,” added Ignite setter Sydney Hilley, also a PVF First Team selection. “The only difference (from the regular season) is you know that at any moment your season could be over, so you want to make sure you’re enjoying the moment and this team because it’s probably never going to be the same again. So, just enjoying each other while we can.”

Both Tealer and Hilley acknowledged the depth of the Omaha roster as a key to their opponent’s success this season, with the ability to sub in players and not skip a beat. The Ignite players also believe in the depth of their own squad, even though it’s among the youngest in PVF. 

“Every team here is really good, every player’s good,” Tealer said. “We just want to have more dog in us than the other team does at the end of the day.”

Hilley was last year’s PVF Postseason MVP when she played for Omaha. She speaks from experience when she says the team that remains most focused in this pressure-packed situation will triumph.

“I think it’s going to come down to a lot of mental stuff when you’re on the court,” she explained. “Both teams are going to be really talented physically; it’s going to come down to who can stay in the moment one point at a time. That’s something we’ve been talking about and trying to execute for practice this week.”

Head coach Padjen’s mantra most of the season has been the serve-and-pass game being directly related to success. That doesn’t change just because it’s the postseason.

“We need to serve and pass well,” he said. “When we’re passing well, we’re pretty tough offensively to stop. Otherwise, you’ve got to pick your battles. When you get the opportunities, take swings. When you don’t, recycle, move on, defend. 

“It’s going to be a close game.”

Indy Ignite Volleyball Editor Mark Robinson may be reached at Mark@indyignitevb.com