HANNAH COREY, INDIANA SRN SPORTS
Title: “Here to STAY”
It was Pink Ribbon Night at the Fishers Event Center as Indy Ignite brought out the brooms against Grand Rapids Rise Thursday night to improve to 2-0 on the season. It was an atmospheric night for everyone, including the players, as Caitlin Clark from the Indiana Fever sat courtside to show her support. After the match when asked what having her support meant, Azhani Tealer responded: “it was pretty sick.” From the first whistle, Ignite came LOCKED IN and ready to go. Throughout the first set, Indy was able to create massive pressure from the service line to knock Grand Rapids out of system, creating opportunities for setter Sydney Hilley to run a balanced attack. Even when Rise was able to run their offense, Ignite’s defense proved strong. In the second set, Grand Rapids led throughout the majority of the set. They were able to establish their middles which created some defensive struggles for Ignite. It wasn’t until the score reached 24-23 that Ignite took the lead. Even then, Rise was able to push the set into overtime. What stood out to me was their ability to stay calm and composed despite having a close set. It was this composure that ultimately won them the set 28-26. In the third set, after taking the lead at 3-2, Ignite lit a fire and never looked back. They played UNBELIEVABLE. Don’t believe me, check out these stats.
- Hit Percentage: .486
- Total Kills: 20
- Total Digs: 19
- Aces: 3
Keep in mind these stats are ONLY from the third set. Ignite went on to win the set 25-16. Alright, with that said, here are my thoughts from the match.
- Leketor Member-Meneh. Boy is she fun to watch! I AM A FAN! Not only is she a LETHAL hitter that can absolutely THUMP a ball, but she backs it up with persistent defense that keeps her team in long rallies. If I am being honest, I am having trouble trying to come up with the right words to fully explain what Leketor Member-Meneh brings to this Ignite team. Obviously she is a great volleyball player however, I do not think that tells the full story. In having this opportunity to see her on and off the court, I have one word that comes to my mind…well two. THE HEART. Member-Meneh, in my opinion, is the HEART of this Ignite team. Her ability to lead and fire up those around her is captivating. Whether it be from one of her 17 kills on the night or pumping up a teammate, her emotion and spirit continue to bolster this team to success. You can tell she LOVES what she is doing. I am truly so excited to see what this season has in store for her.
- This is a team of GRITTY COMPETITORS: “Our team is pretty much based off of grittiness.” said Caroline (CC) Crawford after the match. I couldn’t agree more with this statement. Every single player for the Ignite WANTS TO WIN and it is evident in how they play. The second set is proof of this. There were multiple times this team could have rolled over and given up however, they did the opposite. Despite being down the majority of the set, they GRITTED it out. They stuck together and did it as a team. I am very impressed with how quickly these players have come together and created a TEAM. A team that thrives off of each other’s success. A team that wants to compete at a high level. A team that wants to make a difference. There is something to be said about that. It is something rare to have and Ignite has every bit of it. I cannot wait to see how the grittiness of this team further develops as the season goes on. Something tells me we are in for a treat.
George Padjen. For those that may not know Padjen was the previous assistant coach at Concordia University. He spent 21 years there. Making this transition couldn’t have been easy. I’m sure there were multiple people that were apprehensive about him being in a head coaching role.I will be the first to admit I was one of these people. However, I think coach Gerorge Padjen has done an incredible job being a mentor and coach to these players. In June of 2024, Indy Ignite announced Padjen as the head coach. In the article he is quoted saying; “My job is to help each player achieve their individual goals, while fostering an environment for team success. At Indy Ignite, we’re working together to find that exact, right formula for victory by building a lasting culture around the principles of hard work and positive attitude.” George Padjen has done just that. He has taken the talents from athletes all over the world and has created A TEAM. And not just an average team, but a team that is going to compete. I give him immense credit for the dedication, time, and effort he has spent pouring into these athletes both on and off the court. Thank you George Padjen for proving me wrong.