It was a long-awaited moment for Pauline Gaston as she finally made her debut for the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
Her performance helped the Crossovers secure a four-set victory over the Army-Black Mamba Lady Troopers with a score of 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 25-12 at the Philsports Arena on Saturday night.
Gaston delivered eight points and seven excellent receptions in her much-anticipated debut game, making the most of her time on the court. The 25-year-old spiker, who transferred from Choco Mucho to Chery Tiggo during the off-season, was sporting jersey number 22 as a tribute to her father, Fritz.
Despite being left out of the team's opening game win against Cignal, Gaston brushed off any disappointment and showed her trust in the coaching staff's decisions. In fact, she believes that watching from the sidelines in their previous game even helped her in her debut performance.
“I super trust the process and I trust in the Lord," Gaston said. "I know the coaching staff has a plan, even if I wasn't used in the first game, maybe that wasn't the right time for me to come in.”
Gaston also praised her teammates for their strong performance in the first game, knowing that her chance would come. She vowed to always be ready when called upon, whether it's on the court or from the bench, and to bring energy to the team.
"Our team is a collaborative effort and not just one player rising up," Gaston said. "Even though I wasn't on the court, I felt like I was a part of that win in the first game."
Gaston proved that she is ready to step up whenever her number is called, and is a valuable asset to the team as they strive for success in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
