Volleyball-Women’s pre-selection to attend Italy training camp |27 April 2007

The women’s pre-selection have been invited to Italy by  Serie D side Mondial Quartirolo who toured Seychelles last year and played two friendly matches against Arsu and Cascade, losing both games 0-3 (14-25, 11-25, 24-26) and 1-3 (18-25, 20-25, 25-22, 23-25) respectively.

The 17-member Seychelles pre-selection are to leave the country on Monday May 14 and return on Tuesday May 29.

During their stay in Italy, the Seychellois players are to play at least 10 matches against teams involved in the regional and national championships.

Like Mondial Quartirolo’s coach Andrea Marinello promised before leaving Seychelles last year, the country’s pre-selection are also expected to take part in a tournament involving teams from hosts Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and England.

The Seychellois ladies should expect tough opposition in Italy this time, especially after coach Marinello had this to say to Sports Nation in 2006 after seeing the country’s two best local clubs in action:
“To be frank, we under-estimated the level of women’s volleyball here. Cascade and Arsu displayed good organisation on the court and there are some very talented players around here.”

Top women’s sides Arsu and Cascade are providing the bulk of players to the pre-selection, with just one player – Juliette Victorin – coming from second division team RC United.

The other 16 players expected to attend the training camp in Italy are Tina Agathine, Marille Benoit, Marielle Bonne, Jerina Bonne, Teryl Songoire, Rita Ladouce, Marie-Antoine Gilbert (Arsu), Nathalie Agnes, Marie-Ange Bouchereau, Annie Dugasse, Sandra Joseph, Kelly Matombé, Tracey Servina, Virginie Richard, Marie-Claude Laurence and Diana Roselie (Cascade).

Coach Maurice Denys, assistant coach Jude Preira and team manager Bernard Denis are also expected to make the trip.

The country’s women’s team have been drawn in pool A along with hosts Algeria, South Africa, Congo-Brazaville, Ethiopia and Ghana for the Ninth All-Africa Games.
Seychelles finished third in the last two editions of the All-Africa Games in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1999 and in Abuja, Nigeria in 2003.

Pool B is made up of Kenya, Tunisia, Cameroon, Egypt, Nigeria and Senegal.
As for the Seventh IOIG in Madagascar in August, two-time gold medallists Seychelles will be looking for a treble after being paired with Reunion and Mayotte in pool B.
Hosts Madagascar and Mauritius play in pool A.

G. G.