The 2015 Philippine Super Liga Grand Prix was second conference of the 2015 season of the Philippine Super Liga (PSL) and the third running of the Grand Prix. The conference ran from October 10 to December 5, 2015.
After debuting in the 2015 Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup, the Meralco Power Spikers made their indoor volleyball debut. Additionally, the RC Cola-Air Force Raiders made their return after a hiatus in the previous conference. On the other hand, two teams had left, the Mane 'n Tail Lady Stallions and the Shopinas.com Lady Clickers.
Stav Jacobi, FIVB Executive Council member and chief organizer of the FIVB World Women's Club Volleyball Championship, was the guest of honor for the opening ceremony, while Prajaya Chaiyakam, the deputy managing director of SMMTV, Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC)'s official TV partner, and his cameraman went to Cuneta Astrodome to witness Game 1 of the PSL Finals.
The tournament was won by the Foton Tornadoes, earning their first title, after defeating two-time defending champions Petron Blaze Spikers in the finals. Foton would represent the Philippines at the 2016 Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship.
Video challenge system The PSL became the third Southeast Asia-based volleyball club league (after Thailand and Vietnam) to utilize the video challenge system allowing teams to challenge and decide crucial calls during the games for a fair and balanced officiating, as part of the full compliance to the FIVB rules. The system, reportedly worth ₱3 million, courtesy of Italy-based Data Volley (composed of machine and 26 high-definition cameras to be beamed through a giant LED screen provided by Sports5 inside the venue) arrived on October 26, 2015 and used on October 27, 2015, during the second round of the tournament. Emmanuel Celle of the Data Volley spearheaded the project.
The video challenge was officially launched two days later with Cignal's coach Sammy Acaylar being the first to use the video challenge system, block touch during first set of their match against Foton. The system was available for the games held within the venues in Metro Manila and in the Spike on Tour event in Imus, Cavite.
Teams Abbr. Team Affiliation Head coach Team captain CIG Cignal HD Spikers Cignal TV, Inc. Sammy Acaylar Michelle Laborte FOT Foton Tornadoes United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. Ma. Vilet Ponce de Leon Ivy Elayne Remulla MER Meralco Power Spikers Manila Electric Company Ramil de Jesus Cha Cruz PET Petron Blaze Spikers Petron Corporation George Pascua Maica Morada PHG Philips Gold Lady Slammers Federated Distributors, Inc. Francis Vicente Michele Gumabao RCC RC Cola–Air Force Raiders ARC Refreshments Corporation Rhovyl Verayo Judy Ann Caballejo
Imports On October 25, 2015, PVF president Edgardo "Boy" Cantada, condemned the act of the LVPI and Score (headed by Ramon Suzara, the president of PSL, and one of the masterminds in the withdrawal of recognition of PVF in the POC, AVC, and FIVB) over the incident involving 12 imports who have gone through the immigration process and play in the league without any necessary working permits and other documents of foreigners who will work in the country. He also criticized LVPI and Suzara for blatant disregard and abuse of the Philippine immigration and labor laws over the incident.
Team Import 1 Import 2 Cignal HD Spikers Amanda Anderson Ariel Usher Foton Tornadoes Katie Messing Lindsay Stalzer Meralco Power Spikers Christina Alessi Liis Kullerkann Petron Blaze Spikers Erica Adachi Rupia Inck Furtado Philips Gold Lady Slammers Alexis Olgard Bojana Todorovic RC Cola–Air Force Raiders Sarah McClinton Lynda Morales
Format Classification round The classification round was a double round-robin tournament, with each team playing two matches against all other teams in their pool for a total of ten matches. The top four teams advanced to the semifinals while the remaining teams were eliminated.
Semifinals The semifinals featured single-elimination matches. The match-ups were as follows: SF1: #1 vs. #4 SF2: #2 vs. #3 The winners advanced to the championship while the losers would play in the third-place match.
Finals The championship was a best-of-three series while the third-place was single-elimination. The match-ups were as follows: Championship: Semifinal round winners Third-place match: Semifinal round losers
Classification round
Final round
Semifinals
Finals
Fifth place match
Third place match
Championship
Final standing
RankTeam Foton Tornadoes Petron Blaze SpikersPhilips Gold Lady Slammers4Cignal HD Spikers5Meralco Power Spikers6RC Cola–Air Force Raiders
Qualified for the 2016 Asian Club Volleyball Championship
+ Team roster 1.) Angeli Araneta 2.) Katie Messing 3.) Jaja Santiago 4.) Patty Orendain 5.) Kara Acevedo 6.) Lindsay Stalzer 7.) Ivy Remulla (c) 8.) May Macatuno 9.) Ivy Perez 10.) Kayla Williams 11.) Bia General 16.) Royce Estampa 17.) Fiola Ceballos 18.) Jeannie delos Reyes Head coach: Ma. Vilet Ponce de Leon
Individual awards Award Name/Team MVP Lindsay Stalzer (Foton) Best Outside Spiker 1st: Ariel Elizabeth Usher (Cignal) 2nd: Bojana Todorovic (Philips Gold) Best Middle Blocker 1st: Alexis Olgard (Philips Gold) 2nd: Jaja Santiago (Foton) Best Opposite Spiker 1st: Michele Gumabao (Philips Gold) 2nd: Frances Xinia Molina (Petron) Best Setter 1st: Ivy Jizel Perez (Foton) 2nd: Erica Adachi (Petron) Best Libero Jennylyn Reyes (Petron) Coach of the Year George Pascua (Petron)
Skill set leaders Skill Name/Team Spiking Aleona Manabat Setting Ivy Perez Serving Aleona Manabat Blocking Abigail Marano Receiving Jennylyn Reyes Digging Jennylyn Reyes
Venues
Metro Manila venues Cuneta Astrodome (main venue) Filoil Flying V Arena (secondary venue)
PSL Spike on Tour venues Alonte Sports Arena (October 10 - opening day) Malolos Sports and Convention Center (November 7) De La Salle Lipa Sentrum (November 14) Imus City Sports Center (November 21)
Broadcast partners TV5, AksyonTV, Sports5.ph Solar Sports
Broadcast Notes: Game Sports5 coverage Solar Sports coverage Play-by-play Analyst Courtside reporters Play-by-play AnalystBattle for Third James Velasquez Tex Suter Apple David Noel Zarate Shiela SalaysayBattle for Fifth Denise Tan Chiqui Pablo Apple David Noel Zarate Shiela SalaysayFinals Game 1 James Velasquez Tex Suter Mich del Carmen and Carmela Tunay unannounced unannouncedFinals Game 2 James Velasquez Denise Tan Apple David and Carla Lizardo Ronnie Magsanoc Xavier NunagFinals Game 3 James Velasquez Chiqui Pablo Mich del Carmen and Carmela Tunay Noel Zarate Anne Remulla-Canda
Additional Game 3 crew:
Awards Presenter: Anthony Suntay
References