In a thrilling start to the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference, Erica Staunton made her mark with Creamline despite a tough five-set loss to PLDT, urging her team to focus on the next challenge ahead.
The Cool Smashers, led by the 23-year-old American winger, showed resilience but ultimately fell short against the Lena Samoilenko-led High Speed Hitters, losing 25-16, 22-25, 26-24, 19-25, 12-15 in a marathon match that tested their mettle from start to finish.
Reflecting on the match, Staunton remained optimistic about the team's potential for improvement.
"I think that we definitely can make improvements. We can be upset about the loss tonight, then starting tomorrow, we focus on the next game," she commented.
Staunton, a standout from the University of Georgia, showcased her versatility with an impressive performance, tallying 20 points through 16 attacks, two blocks, and two aces, alongside 10 excellent receptions in her debut appearance for Creamline.
"When it comes to a loss, you can always play better. Offensively, I learned a lot because PLDT had incredible defense tonight, so next game, I should take smarter shots and maybe not try to swing so hard," Staunton analyzed.
Despite the defeat, Staunton cherished the opportunity to represent Creamline, one of the Philippines' premier volleyball clubs, and was deeply moved by the overwhelming support from the fans during their opening match.
"It was an awesome environment. I know we came up short tonight, but it was definitely something unique for me. Just experiencing the fans, how much everybody loves Creamline, was incredible," she shared.
Looking ahead, Staunton vowed to apply the lessons learned from their challenging opener against PLDT and channel them into a stronger performance in their upcoming clash against Farm Fresh.
