Lausanne, Switzerland, August 3, 2018 – Germany’s players and staff are already feeling the buzz even though the Japan 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship is still over a month and a half away.
The tournament runs from September 29-October 20 and Germany coach Felix Koslowski has already started his team’s preparations at the Olympic Training Centre, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
“Slowly you begin to feel the ‘tingle’,” Koslowski said. “I am pleased that we have now started our World Championship preparation. After a busy season and the Volleyball Nations League it was important for the players to recharge their batteries over the last few weeks.”
They will play two warm-up matches against European Championship silver medallists the Netherlands in Munster on August 23 and Bremen on August 25.
Once the matches against the Netherlands are finished, Germany will return to the Olympic Training Centre and then will travel to Italy for a three-team tournament with the hosts, Canada and Turkey.
Koslowski’s team travel to Japan on September 19 and will train in Nishio. They have been placed in Pool A and their first match is against the Netherlands in Yokohama on September 29. Following their opening encounter, they take on hosts Japan, Cameroon, Argentina, and Mexico.
“We will be working very hard to prepare for the World Championship with the international matches in Munster and Bremen playing an important role,” Koslowski said.
“The Netherlands will be among the favourites at the World Championship and as we want to go far in the tournament we can only reach our goal by playing such tough matches.”
Germany squad
Nele Barber (opposite spiker)
Kimberly Drewniok (opposite spiker)
Lenka Dürr (Libero)
Maren Fromm (wing spiker),
Jennifer Geerties (wing spiker)
Lisa Gründing (middle blocker)
Denise Hanke (setter)
Denise Imoudu (setter)
Pia Kästner (setter)
Louisa Lippmann (opposite spiker)
Hanna Orthmann (wing spiker)
Anna Pogany (Libero)
Jana-Franziska Poll (wing spiker)
Marie Schölzel (middle blocker)
Leonie Schwertmann (middle blocker)
Lena Stigrot (wing spiker)
Ivana Vanjak (wing spiker)
Barbara Wezorke (middle blocker)