AN early clash of favorites kicks off action in the 2016 Asics Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix presented by PLDT Home Ultera on Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.
Reigning champion Foton and F2 Logistics, protagonists in the All-Filipino Conference finals, lock horns anew at 3 p.m., following the 2:30 p.m. opening ceremony of the club tourney bankrolled by Mikasa, Mueller, Grand Sport and Senoh with TV5 as official broadcast partner.
Generika will test Petron’s mettle in the 12:30 p.m. appetizer for the event that also has Focus Athletics, KLab Cyscorpions, Foton, Petron and F2 Logistics as sponsors.
Tickets will be given free at the venue and 20 complimentary passes to the International Volleyball Federation Women’s Club World Championship set from October 18 to 23 at the Mall of Asia Arena will be raffled off.
After representing the country in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Asian Women’s Club Championship last month, the Tornadoes are picked as the team to beat with their solid core and a foreign coach Moro Branislav, who has made the rounds in Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Belarus and North Korea.
They will be powered by last year’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Lindsay Stalzer and Ariel Usher and will welcome the return of prized middle blocker Dindin Manabat, who will be reunited with sister Jaja Santiago, as well as Rhea Dimaculangan, Maika Ortiz, EJ Laure, Sisi Rondina and Patty Orendain.