Santarelli: “Now let’s focus on the Champions League”. Kimberly Hill: “It was my last match in Serie A”
CONEGLIANO. “They had already written history, now they enter the legend of Venetian and national sport, with an eye on the Champions League on May 1st with Vakifbank. Today the panthers ofImoco embody perfection in a team sport: a winning mix of common intentions between society, the technical sector and athletes. A teaching for all sport “.
Thus the President of the Veneto Region, Luca Zaia, gives his compliments to the volleyball players of the Imoco Conegliano, confirmed champions of Italy with Igor Novara, which joins 11 other trophies, with the unbeaten record and the volleyball treble already on the bulletin board.
“There are no adjectives to define these athletes, their technical staff, the company with the Maschio, Polo, Garbellotto and Carraro families – adds Zaia – a perfect machine cemented by a unity of purpose rare even in sport and, as a value added, by a great social commitment on the nursery front and the involvement of younger girls than in Egonu, Sylla, Wolosz, De Gennaro and in all their companions they find a rare example of how sport can be a fundamental element of the human growth of young and very young people. Thanks Imoco, we look forward to seeing you in the Champions League “.
On the field of Novara he had already won the Scudetto in 2016 with Casalmaggiore and he hoped not to suffer as in game 1, but in the end Daniele Santarelli it does not hold back the joy and satisfaction. «We were very keen, it is the right ending to an extraordinary season; we wanted to close it in two games, because we have to focus on the Champions League. Novara played very well on Saturday, we were better, tidy, even if not as beautiful as an overall game, all and all the staff were well done ».
Kimberly Hill, as long overdue confirms the farewell to the Italian championship, but perhaps not to volleyball. «It was my last match in Italy, I will play the Olympics and then some rest. I don’t know if I will join the new American League. The best memory for me in recent years at Imoco is the World Cup, but now we miss the Champions League ».
After doing just a few exchanges on Saturday, Raphaela Folie has found field and high-level performance. «It was a team victory in both games. It was exciting after a long and intense season. My knees are fine, it’s hard to come back every time, but the help of my classmates is essential. The level of play in the championship was perhaps lower overall than ours, I think in the end whoever was hungrier won. We all had it, even those who entered less from the bench. We can’t wait to face Vakifbank, a very strong opponent: we both start at 50% ».
Per Moki De Gennaro this fourth championship «is the demonstration that we are a great team. Novara good, we more. My thoughts go out to all our fans: this flag is also for them, we hope to embrace them again soon ».
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