Import-laced PSL Grand Prix slated

The 2017 Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix kicks off on Oct. 21 with Lindsay Stalzer moving over to Petron from Foton and leading a crack of reinforcements in the upcoming tournament.

Stalzer, who powered the Tornadoes to a pair of Grand Prix titles, will now be teaming up with veteran internationalist Hillary Hurley of the US and libero Yuri Fukuda of Japan, who served as one of seven foreign players for PSL Manila in the FIVB Women’s Club Championship last year.

Foton, meanwhile, recruited three European stars in Dragana Perunicnic of Montenegro and Sara Klisura and libero Katarina Vukamanovic of Serbia, lining up the Tornadoes for a crack at a third consecutive GP title.

“This is turning out to be the biggest and most competitive PSL Grand Prix ever,” said PSL president Ramon Suzara, adding that they allowed teams to recruit up to three imports for the first time to raise the level of play among nine teams.

Cignal, Cocolife, Sta. Lucia, Generika-Ayala and F2 Logistics also did good scouting jobs in tapping their respective reinforcements.

Overflowing with firepower at the wing spot with the presence of Honey Royse Tubino, Janine Marciano, Rachel Anne Daquis, Paneng Mercado and national team member Jovelyn Gonzaga, the HD Spikers tapped a pair of middle blockers in Beth Carey of Australia and Alexis Matthews of the US as well as libero Mami Miyashita of Japan.

The Asset Managers, meanwhile, will parade highflying Taylor Milton and Tai Manu-Olevao while the Lady Realtors grabbed two Canadian national team members in middle blocker Marisa Field and libero Kristen Moncks as well as Bulgarian national team open spiker Slavina Koleva.

The Lifesavers also hired 6-foot-5 American open hitter Katelyn Driscoll and Croatian Katarina Pilepic, a US NCAA Division I player.

The Cargo Movers, for their part, will be bannered by Kennedy Bryan of the US and Maria Jose Perez, who saw action for the Venezuelan national team in the Beijing Olympics and the FIVB Grand Prix.