No clear edge for Foton imports Usher, Stalzer despite early arrival

The new bunch of imports seeing action in the PSL Grand Prix. Photo by Marc Reyes

For Foton imports Ariel Usher and Lindsay Stalzer, playing with their local teammates for more than a month is a big plus. But they’d rather not harp on it.

“Yeah for sure it crossed our minds, but then last year that’s what happened to Petron until we beat them,” said Stalzer.

Stalzer powered Foton to the 2015 title, joining hands with Katie Messing to topple Petron which had imports Erica Adachi and Rupia Inck a few months early.

The duo lead the foreign reinforcements who will spice up competition in the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix which starts Oct. 8 at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

PSL president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said the PSL Grand Prix will follow Olympic protocol, patterned after the Rio Games. It will also make use of automatic ball railing to fast track ball retrieval.

Also introduced during the presser are Cignal’s 6-foot-5 Laura Rae Schaudt and Olympian Lynda Morales. The HD Spikers will also have a Fil-American setter in Shawna-Lei Santos.

Generika presented Paulina Liutikova of Ukraine and Darlene Ramdin of Trinidad and Tobago; Petron Stephanie Niemer and Serena Warner and RC Cola’s Hailir Ripley and Kiera Holst.

F2 Logistics’ Sydney Kemper was slated to arrive Thursday night. Dora Spelman, who played for Altay V of Kazakhstan, is also expected to arrive later.

Morales, Niemer and Stalzer will also see action for F2 Logistics-Pilipinas in the FIVB Women’s Club Championships on Oct. 18-23.

“We started working on their transfer certificates as early as two months ago that’s why we didn’t have any trouble registering them to the FIVB system. We’re expecting a trouble-free staging of our import-flavored conference,”said Suzara.