Star-studded Serie A1 begins this weekend

After celebrating success in the Italian Supercoppa clash with rivals Igor Gorgonzola Novara last Saturday, Imoco Volley Conegliano will start their national title defence against newly promoted squad Megabox Vallefoglia in the opening weekend of the Italian Women’s League.

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Paola Egonu, who scored 24 points in the Supercoppa final, will wield her influence in offence. The Italian opposite will team up with Polish superstar setter Joanna Wolosz and national teammates Raphaela Folie and Monica De Gennaro, American players Kathryn Plummer and Megan Courtney, and Dutch middle blocker Robin De Kruijf.

“I arrived in Conegliano five years ago and I’m still here. I found my place - a place where I feel good. Every year we win something, last year we won everything. The opponents are getting stronger and the challenge that inspires me is to bring home new trophies,” Conegliano captain Wolosz said.

Conegliano's opponents this weekend, Megabox Vallefoglia, will be led by former world champion Tatiana Kosheleva, who saw action at the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy, before announcing her retirement from the Russian national team last July. She will be joining forces with seasoned scorers Kenya Carcaces and Sinead Jack.

The Italian League match-up between Conegliano and Vallefoglia takes the primetime spot on Sunday at 20.30 local time/18.30 GMT.

The new season will begin with a single match on Saturday featuring the Lombard derby between Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio and Vero Volley Monza at 20.30.

Join us at 20.30 CET/18.30 GMT on Saturday to watch the match LIVE!

Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Jordyn Poulter will be setting the plays for Busto Arsizio, who are led by outside hitter Lucia Bosetti and middle blocker Jovana Stevanovic, while Alessia Orro steers the Monza offence for Serbian nationals Brankica Mihajlovic and Katarina Lazovic.

Sunday’s five matches will all start at 17.00 CET, and include encounters between Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri and Bartoccini Fortinfissi Perugia, first division returnees Bosca S.Bernardo Cuneo and Acqua & Sapone Roma Volley Club, Igor Gorgonzola Novara going up against Il Bisonte Firenze, VBC Epiu Casalmaggiore and Savino Del Bene Scandicci, and Volley Bergamo 1991 and Delta Despar Trentino.

Italy’s recent success at the European Championship is sure to provide a spark for the local players, as they campaign for their respective squads this season.

Sara Bonifacio and Cristina Chirichella of Igor Gorgonzola Novara are seeking to improve their runners-up finishes last season and will play with a star-studded line-up composed of Olympic medallists Micha Hancock, Haleigh Washington and Rosamaria Montibeller, VNL standouts Britt Herbots, Ebrar Karakurt and Nika Daalderop.

Ofelia Malinov and Elena Pietrini of Savino Del Bene Scandicci will team up with renowned Brazilian players Natalia Pereira and Ana Beatriz Correa, and German point-getter Louisa Lippmann.

What is sure is that there is some incredible volleyball in store this season. And you can watch it all on Volleyball World TV.