Lausanne, Switzerland, May 9, 2019 – Italy women’s coach Davide Mazzanti has named the 25 players that will prepare for the FIVB Volleyball Nations League. They will train in Cavalese before they travel to Switzerland for the Montreux Volley Masters.
The squad features a host of familiar names including captain Cristina Chirichella, star Paola Egonu and Elena Pietrini, who was the fourth best server of the 2018 VNL.
Italy Squad
Opposites: Paola Egonu, Anna Nicoletti
Outsides: Lucia Bosetti, Caterina Bosetti, Miriam Sylla, Elena Pietrini, Indre Sorokaite, Sylvia Nwakalor, Anastasia Guerra, Francesca Villani, Elena Perinelli
Middles: Cristina Chirichella, Raphaela Folie, Anna Danesi, Sara Alberti, Sarah Fahr, Beatrice Berti, Alexandra Botezat
Setters: Carlotta Cambi, Alessia Orro, Ofelia Malinov, Francesca Bosio
Liberos: Monica De Gennaro, Chiara De Bortoli, Beatrice Parrocchiale
In 2018 Italy finished sixth, outside the Finals places. In Montreux they will take on Switzerland, Thailand and Turkey in the pool stages and they start the tournament in confident mood having beaten China’s U23 side twice this week.
Italy begin the VNL in Opole in Poland where they face the hosts, Thailand and Germany. They return home to Conegliano Veneto in week two where they host defending champions USA, Dominican Republic and world champions Serbia.
They travel to Hong Kong in week three to play Olympic champions China, the Netherlands and Japan. In week four they host a group for a second time when they face Russia, South Korea and Bulgaria in Perugia.
Mazzanti’s team complete the pool stage against Turkey, Brazil and Belgium in Turkish capital Ankara.