Ignite Open 2026 MLV Season with Four-Set Victory at Dallas

Ignite Open 2026 MLV Season with Four-Set Victory at Dallas

Indy Rebounds after Dropping Opening Set

By Mark Robinson

 

FRISCO, Texas (January 10, 2026) – The Indy Ignite began their 2026 Major League Volleyball campaign in the right way, with a hard-fought win over the host, Dallas Pulse. After dropping the first set 27-25, the Ignite bounced back to sweep the next three by scores of 27-25, 26-24 and 25-20 to win their season opener for the second straight year and deliver head coach Lauren Bertolacci a victory in her MLV debut.

As evidenced by the scores of the first three sets that all went to extra points, each was a seesaw affair. Indy twice built a four-point lead in the opener, the last at 23-19, before the Pulse – playing their first match as MLV’s new franchise in 2026 – stormed back and avoided a pair of Ignite set points to post the 27-25 win. The Ignite returned the favor in the second set, rallying from a 19-14 deficit to take it 27-25, with newcomers Kayla Lund and Cara Cresse scoring the final three points.

It was more of the same in the third set. Indy pulled ahead 20-14, only to see Dallas even the score at 21-21. The Ignite took a 25-24 lead on a Leketor Member-Meneh kill and won the set when a Pulse attack sailed long. A 7-1 run midway through the fourth and deciding set put the Ignite in control 16-11, and they never trailed again.

Indy’s depth proved critical in securing the victory, with Bertolacci using 13 of her 14 available players. Opposite hitter Azhani Tealer led the way for the Ignite, posting a double-double with 19 kills and 16 digs – both team highs. Outside hitter Member-Meneh came off the bench in the second set and had her own double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs. Outside hitter Lund also didn’t start but chipped in nine kills and nine digs. Setter Mia Tuaniga didn’t enter until midway through set two yet still dished out 32 assists and dropped in four timely kills.

From her perspective on the bench, Bertolacci wasn’t surprised with the uneven play in the season opener. She knew the Ignite would have to grit it out to pull out the win, and they did.

“I think we knew that we would have to play ugly today, that we’re not fully refined yet, but we had that mantra,” she said. “We played ugly but we played really tough, and the tougher team wins in the end.”

Tealer picked up where she left off in 2025, when she was named to the All-MLV First Team at season’s end. The 5-foot-9 powerhouse was incredibly consistent in each set, registering six kills and six digs in the first set, five and three in the second set, four and four in the third set, and four and three in the final set. But she was more pleased with the resilience displayed by everyone who saw action.

“It was fun to see a lot of people come in,” Tealer said. “We’ve talked about our depth for a long time now and it was cool to see that in action. One of the first things Lauren said when she arrived was that you don’t have to play well to win, and we didn’t always do that and we won, and I love it. It was cool.”

The Ignite are on the road again next Saturday, January 17, when they play at Columbus. The 7 p.m. ET match streams live on WTHR+ and the MLV YouTube channel. Columbus is 1-1 ahead of a match Wednesday at Grand Rapids.

Indy’s first home match is Saturday, January 24 with Omaha. Tickets are available at IndyIgniteVB.com.