Mentor resident Brianne Ciasullo eyed the pallino in hopes her ball would roll close to it on the bocce court on Saturday.

Her teammates cheered when she scored a point at the 27th annual Pat O’Brien Chevrolet Cleveland Challenge Cup of Bocce at the Italian-American Club in Wickliffe.

Tournament organizers created a Women’s division last year and it seems to be growing.

“It’s starting to get more known (women are playing),” Anna Marie Gallese of Mentor said as she watched her husband and sister-in-law play on different courts. “I think it’s great, I wish more women would get into it.”

Marilyn Gallese, a member of the One Man and A Hammer Team bocce, said she loves the game and even plays when her family travels to Florida to play. 

“I think it’s wonderful for women as well as the young people,” she said.

The three-day event had 96 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams competing on the nine covered bocce courts.

The players are given points for the balls thrown closest to the smallest ball called the pallino.

“It’s passed on through the generations,” Club Treasurer Chris Brassell said. “Anyone can play it. The sport transcends all ages. I like seeing all the people come back to the tournament each year. It’s like a second home to them.”

Teams from many corners of Northeast Ohio as well as some out-of-state players came to win several coveted prizes.

The women — and the men — take the game seriously, but a change in rules left many women unhappy.

The women play until 11 points are scored, instead of the usual 16 points.

“We are not happy with that,” Margie Ciasullo, team captain of One Man and A Hammer Team.

She said they want the same respect as the men.

Tara Mozocco of Ashtabula came to play for Kilker Bros. Grocery. She said her team starts to warm up closer to the end of a game and thinks the new rules limit their playing ability.

“It’s just a different style of play,” Brassell said about the change in rules. “Games tend to be a little longer and we are in a time crunch.”

Women aren’t the only ones who get a shortened play.

Tournament Director Gino Latessa said teams who play in the losing brackets play to only 13.

He said if a team loses two games it is out of the tournament.

Many of the women said they play mixed — men and women — leagues with their husbands that follow the normal rules while others play in all women divisions within area clubs.

Tammy Fasano of Ashtabula said she plays with her husband’s team.

“I look forward to the tournament,” she said. “I like the competition. We get to meet a lot of new people.”

Event officials expect 8,000 to 10,000 people to attend the weekend tournament.

“It’s an overwhelming crowd compared to last year’s tournament,” Latessa said. “The parking lots are full and people are having a great time.”

The tournament is still going today from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The event’s Family Day will feature a special appearance from Outback Ray, a exotic animal show at 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and Time Warner’s “Meet and Greet Characters” will follow at 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

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