17-year-old Bozhidara Ivanova has successfully adapted to Italian volleyball and already has specific ambitions for her first season in the Apennines. The young opposite hitter is now part of the "Savino Del Bene" (Scandicci) structure, included in the squad of "Pallavolo Scandicci \u2013 Savino Del Bene", which participates in Serie B1 and the U19 girls' championship.
In an interview for the club's traditional Weekly Interview column, the Bulgarian player spoke about her first impressions of the new environment, her relationships with teammates, and the goals she has set for herself.
"I'm adapting very well. For me, this is certainly a new experience from a volleyball perspective, but I'm very happy to have received this opportunity. The girls and the coaching staff helped me feel comfortable right from the start," Ivanova shares.
"The fact that I already knew Italian definitely helped me not only in daily communication but also in building closer relationships with my teammates and feeling like part of the team."
The start of the season for "Savino Del Bene" in the U19 girls' category is more than convincing. In Group A of the elite territorial championship of Florence, the team recorded six victories in its first six matches, five of which were 3:0. Among the defeated opponents are "Bimont", "Firenze 5 Palestre", "San Michele", "Ariete Prato", and "Valdarno".
The situation is different in Serie B1, Group C, where the young squad of "Pallavolo Scandicci \u2013 Savino Del Bene" faces significantly more experienced opponents in the third tier of Italian women's volleyball.
In the first round, on October 17, the team lost away to "San Giorgio" with 1:3 (18:25, 27:25, 26:28, 17:25). A week later, a home loss to "Sirio Perugia" followed with 0:3 (22:25, 21:25, 24:26), and on October 31, "Moma Anderlini" won against the team from Scandicci with 3:0 (25:13, 25:23, 25:19).
The first victory came on November 7, when "Scandicci" prevailed over "Peschiera" with 3:2 (17:25, 25:22, 10:25, 25:22, 15:10). The success was achieved after twice trailing in sets and a comeback in the tie-break.
After four rounds, the team occupies 13th place among 14 participants with 2 points, one win, and three losses.
The opportunity to develop in a club whose young players have exposure to women's volleyball in Serie B1, as well as the competition within the team, are among the things Bozhidara values most highly.
"I really like the level I've seen so far because there are many quality players and high competence in the team. At the same time, there is also healthy competition among us, which motivates us to improve every day."
Despite the excellent results in the girls' category, the Bulgarian believes that the team still has room for improvement.
"However, I think we need to continue working on building a team and becoming more cohesive."
Ivanova also does not hide her great ambition for the current season.
"My goal is to develop as much as possible, to contribute to the team, and most importantly, to reach the podium at the national finals."
The next challenge for the "Pallavolo Scandicci \u2013 Savino Del Bene" squad in Serie B1 is on November 14, when at 7:00 PM Bulgarian time they host "Modena Volley" in the fifth round. The opponent is last in the standings, without a point won since the start of the season.