Fun Fuels Ignite as Four Players Make All-MLV First Team

Fun Fuels Ignite as Four Players Make All-MLV First Team

Martyn, Scott, Tealer, Tuaniga Honored; MLV Content Day Turns into Dance Party

By Mark Robinson 

 

FRISCO, Texas (May 5, 2026) – On a day when four of their teammates were named to the All-Major League Volleyball First Team for the 2026 season, Indy Ignite players had an opportunity to dance their way toward the serious business at hand at this week’s MLV Championship.

The Indy quartet – middle blocker Lydia Martyn, libero Elena Scott, opposite hitter Azhani Tealer and setter Mia Tuaniga – were awarded All-MLV First Team honors. For Tealer, it’s the second straight year being named to the first team, and the first such distinction for the other three. Tuaniga was a unanimous pick as first-team setter.

After winning the MLV regular-season championship with a record 23 victories, the Ignite dominated the All-MLV First Team, claiming four of the seven spots. Head coach Lauren Bertolacci said the recognition was justified, with good reason.

Tealer finished fifth in the league kill percentage (45.1%), ninth in points (338) and 10th in kills (302) despite sitting out four matches and playing sparingly in several others. Tuaniga guided the high-powered Ignite attack, ranking second in assists per set (11.49) and second in aces (25) with her high-powered serve. Martyn was second in the league in kill percentage (49.8%), fourth in efficiency (35.5%) and sixth in blocks (49) while playing in 18 of the 28 matches. Scott’s wizardry on defense led her to finishing fourth in digs (360) and orchestrating the team defense that led the league in opponents’ efficiency (20.7%).

Prior to the afternoon announcement of the all-league teams, Bertolacci and the players enjoyed an entertaining morning during MLV’s content-capture session at a hotel near Comerica Center where the championship matches will take place Thursday and Saturday.

Laughter, dancing and singing filled the room as the coach and players filtered through photo and video stations that captured images the MLV and the Ignite will use for promotional social media posts. In addition to the league’s photo/video setups, most of the Ignite players snapped their own pictures and created videos while pop music filled the room.

“It’s a good mental break,” said setter Ainise Havili. “We've been preparing for this for a while now, so it's a good time to breathe and have fun. We earned it. Everybody on the team is fun and everybody's funny. They're all so lighthearted, so when we get to just hang out and show their personalities, it's just a great time.”

The break provided a final chance for purely fun bonding time before the team bussed to Southern Methodist University for an afternoon practice. The Ignite are scheduled to practice Wednesday at Comerica Center, with a serve-and-pass at the arena the morning of Thursday evening’s semifinal match with Omaha.

“We have worked not just for six months with this group, but we've been playing volleyball forever,” said outside hitter Kayla Lund, who has become a leader in keeping the team relaxed and having fun in her first season with the Ignite. “When you have such a special group like this, how can you not have fun? This is what we worked hard for and now we get to enjoy it. Now we get to have fun, and we play our best and we're at our best when we are having fun.”

Lund then nodded toward Bertolacci, standing a few feet away, smiling as she took in the sight of her players relishing the chance to let loose in the hotel conference room that was converted to a photo/video studio.

“Lauren's right here in all the fun with us,” Lund said. “She's taking pics, she's dancing—sometimes. When your leader is having fun and knows that we're thriving and at our best when we have fun, then we just get to be free and entertain, which is our favorite thing to do.”

Top-seeded Indy and No. 4 Omaha square off at 7 p.m. ET Thursday, with No. 2 Dallas taking on No. 3 San Diego to follow. The MLV Championship, the “match for a million” that pays $1 million to the winning team, tips off at 3 p.m. Saturday. All matches will be telecast on the ION network. 

The Ignite are hosting three watch parties in the Indianapolis area Thursday for fans to gather and cheer the team on together. The parties are set for Westfield Collective/iBeach31, 750 E. 181st Street in Westfield; Parks Place Pub, 8594 E. 116th St., Suite 70, Fishers; and The District Tap, 3720 E. 82nd St., Indianapolis.