Import-laced PSL Grand Prix on Saturday

With a bevy of quality foreign reinforcements beefing up the teams, a wide-open race for the title looms in the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix that opens tomorrow at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Six teams, bannered by two imports each, dispute the women’s crown, while the men’s tournament will feature five squads including newcomer Cavite Patriots and Bench (formerly known as Systema). Cignal, PLDT Telpad and Maybank are also vying for the men’s title.

PSL president Philip Ella Juico said the champion of the women’s tournament will represent the country in the Asian Volleyball Club Championship.

“There is a higher purpose for the league which is to fulfill a national commitment,” said Juico at the launch of the tournament yesterday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. “We’ve put a lot of time and effort to make the league as professional as possible.”

The league also presented the imports in the women’s division who all came from top volleyball countries.

Cignal parades Americans Sarah Ammerman and Lindsay Stalzer while new squad Foton has tapped Russians Irina Tarasova and Elena Tarasova. Generika is fielding Russian Natalia Korobkova and Miyu Shinohora from Japan and another new team, Mane and Tail, signed up former University of Florida player Kristy Jaeckel and Kaylee Manns, the former Iowa State standout who played for PLDT in the last PSL.

Drawing the most attention in yesterday’s launch were Petron’s Erica Adachi, a Brazilian recruit, and Alaina Bergsma, the former University of Oregon ace and former US national collegiate player of the year.

“The league is going to be a lot more competitive and we expect the Filipino players to really step up to bring up the competition,” said Manns. Cedelf P. Tupas