Volleyball-Italian team Mondial Quartirolo promise good volleyball |13 June 2006

Italian provincial first division champions last year, Mondial Quartirolo, who finished seventh out of 14 teams in the just-ended regional Serie D, have said, through coach Andrea Marinello, that “we don’t know much about the level of women’s volleyball here but we are looking forward to give a good display.”
Monday June 12 in the morning on a regular Qatar Airways flight. Hoping to meet the team on a volleyball court doing some workout, Sports Nation had to travel to the Beau Vallon beach to meet them.

The team and their entourage were having fun instead, relaxing and joking in the company of two local female volleyballers, one of them Nathalie Agnes who plays for Cascade and the Seychelles national team.

Coach Marinello said that he decided to bring his team to play in Seychelles after first holidaying here, on Praslin, last year.

“A lady from Praslin put me into contact with the Seychelles Volleyball Federation then and I’m happy we are here to play two friendly matches. We hope this will become a fruitful partnership as the Seychelles national team are to train with us in Italy next year,” coach Marinello said.

Without three of their players who have had to stay in Italy because of work commitment, Mondial Quartirolo will play Cascade Wednesday June 14 at 5 p.m. and on Saturday at 4 p.m., they will meet league champions Arsu.

Both matches will be played at the Palais des Sports and tickets cost R10.
Before Saturday’s match, members of the team will run a clinic with the country’s women’s junior team.

Formed in 1963 in the city of Carpi in the province of Modena, the Mondial Quartiloro club have produced a number of quality players. The club boast nine teams playing in the provincial and regional championships.

According to a member of the team, the club’s men’s team have won many championships in Italy and in Europe.

The 10 players who have made the trip to Seychelles are Barbara Benedetti (captain), Elena Grazi (setter), Paola Copelli (setter), Francesca Bulgarelli (spiker), Silvia Parmeggiani (blocker), Sonia Pirondini (spiker), Lisa Flammia (spiker), Maria Elisa Vezzani (blocker), Sara Panarelli (spiker) and Erica Lugli (libero).

Head coach Martinello is assisted by Nicola Santunione and Angiolino Lugli is the team’s sports manager.

G. G.