Fishers, IND – The league-leading Indy Ignite continued their historic tear through Major League Volleyball last Thursday, March 12, dismantling the defending champion Orlando Valkyries in a straight-sets sweep (25-20, 25-22, 25-17). Playing before a raucous home crowd at the Fishers Event Center, Indy secured their eighth consecutive victory and improved to a league-best 14-2 record, marking the strongest start to a season in MLV history.

➡️  Ignite vs Valkyries photos

Indy’s offense was the story of the night, firing on all cylinders to finish with a season-high 49.5% hitting percentage. Setter Mia Tuaniga was the maestro of the attack, dishing out 43 assists and keeping the Orlando defense guessing by distributing the ball to a “balanced arsenal.” The Ignite’s depth proved overwhelming; while many teams rely on a single star, Indy saw four players reach double figures in scoring, led by outside hitter Anna DeBeer, who tallied 14 points (11 kills, 3 blocks).

The second set provided the match’s most dramatic moment as Orlando clawed their way to an 18-14 lead, threatening to even the match. However, Ignite head coach Lauren Bertolacci called a tactical timeout and inserted opposite hitter Azhani Tealer into the lineup. The move paid immediate dividends, as Tealer sparked an 8-1 run to flip the momentum. Middle blocker Lydia Martyn was also flawless during the comeback, finishing the night a perfect 10-for-13 on attacks without a single error.

Despite the loss, the Valkyries saw a historic milestone from middle blocker Natalie Foster, who recorded her 100th career ace, becoming the first player in MLV history to reach the century mark. Orlando struggled to find consistent scoring without injured stars Brittany Abercrombie and Hannah Maddux, and while they pushed Indy in the middle of the second and third sets, they couldn’t withstand the Ignite’s late-set surges.

With this win, Indy has now defeated Orlando in all three of their meetings so far in 2026. While the Ignite’s winning streak was eventually snapped by Omaha over the weekend, their performance last Thursday cemented their status as the team to beat heading into the final stretch of the regular season.