FISHERS, Indiana, February 6, 2026.- A balanced attack throughout the lineup powered the Indy Ignite to their sixth win in seven outings this season, keeping them solidly alone atop the Major League Volleyball standings.
Indy put away Grand Rapids in four sets tonight – 25-18, 18-25, 25-17, 25-22 – to close a four-match homestand at Fishers Event Center by winning the final three. At 6-1, it’s the first time in franchise history that the Ignite have been five games above .500.
Ignite coach Lauren Bertolacci stayed with her starting lineup almost entirely throughout the match, and it paid winning dividends. Every starting hitter and blocker scored in double figures, led by opposite hitter Azhani Tealer’s 18 points, as Indy compiled its second-best kill percentage this year (43.2%). Setter Mia Tuaniga – the reigning MLV Player of the Week – tallied a season best in a four-set match with 56 assists, an eye-opening average of 14 per set. Libero Elena Scott had 11 digs, many of the acrobatic variety that fans have become accustomed to witnessing.
It was an all-around solid performance that pleased their head coach.
“It was a really tough game to play against a Grand Rapids that didn’t go away, so I’m very happy we were able to close it out in the end,” Bertolacci said. “Any win we can stack now is really important for us. It always is our goal to make sure that we can get into those playoffs and do our best to be in the best shape possible then.”
Tealer registered her third double-double of the season with 16 kills and 11 digs, to go along with a pair of blocks. Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh posted her own double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs, as well as serving three menacing aces. Outside hitter Anna DeBeer had 14 kills, eight digs and an ace.
The middle blocker position was well-represented as well. Cara Cresse recorded nine kills, three aces and a block. Blake Mohler had nine kills and two blocks.
Indy’s versatile roster shined through on this night. Cresse hadn’t played in any of the three previous matches during the homestand, and DeBeer had only played sparingly in the last two outings as she continues working back to full health following the ankle injury she sustained as a college senior in December 2024. Yet both were key contributors against the Rise.
“We have such a deep roster that, at the end of the day, we need to make the right choices for the right matchups that we have,” Bertolacci explained. “We need to make the choices based on the week that they have (in practice) but also make sure that everybody as best as we can is ready by the end of the season.
“Cresse had a great week. She was our best attacking middle during the week, so it was her earned right to be on the court. She did a good job closing the block and getting some important touches. And I’m first happy to have Anna get through a full game again. I thought she did a really good job in the back row, actually, in passing and defense today.”
Cresse, the Fort Wayne native and Indy’s top 2025 draft pick, said she had no issue stepping into the lineup for the first time in two weeks.
“It’s really easy to play with this team,” she said. “Even though I haven’t been in as many matches, coming in every time I feel really comfortable. Everyone makes it really easy just to come in and play hard, and I can trust my teammates really well. … There are a lot of things I’ve been working on attack wise, like closing the block and just being up on everything. I think it’s finally kind of starting to click and I’m glad (Bertolacci) saw that this week.”
Meanwhile, DeBeer sees herself edging closer to the ankle being fully recovered. “I hope to be there soon,” she said, adding that getting the victory was what mattered most on this night.
“We’re not always going to be at our best, and that’s kind of what we talked about,” DeBeer said. “When there are moments of tense pressure, when we’re not feeling our best, we gritted it out and we found a way to win. That’s what’s really good about this team is we’re really trying to never give up, and that was a tough win.”
The Ignite head to San Diego to take on the Mojo at 10 p.m. ET Monday. Indy returns home Friday, February 13 to host Orlando at 7 p.m. ET.
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