PVL: First-time pro Staunton ‘lucky’ to have played for Creamline

Creamline import Erica Staunton after winning the PVL Invitational title.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Erica Staunton was lucky to spend her first professional and overseas stint with Creamline, which she led to a pair of PVL titles in the Reinforced and Invitational Conferences.

Staunton helped Creamline complete a historic grand slam with a 29-point performance in the title finale to stave off Cignal, led by MJ Perez’s record-setting 42 points, with a come-from-behind 21-25, 25-17, 20-25, 26-24, 15-13 win on Thursday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“I am excited but like I said just lucky and blessed that I’ve come into a program that has known such success, and just kinda be able to do my job to help with these two last championships,” said Staunton. “I [was] really lucky in my first pro stint, having such a great team that knows what it takes to win and work hard every day.”

READ: Creamline edges Cignal to rule PVL Invitationals, complete grand slam

Michele Gumabao and Erica Staunton on winning two titles in two weeks. #PVL2024 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/A2ICA9QfoN

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) September 12, 2024

The American, the Invitational Conference Best Outside Spiker, relished all the learnings she got from Creamline, stepping up with MVPs Bernadeth Pons and Michele Gumabao and Finals MVP and Best Setter Kyle Negrito to fill in the void left by Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos as well as Alas Pilipinas star Jema Galanza, who returned in the tail end of the Invitationals.

“It’s been great playing with this team. And I think it’s just a test of the mentality of my how [well] my teammates are, I was really lucky to come in with such a talented team, with such a great group of girls. Winning best outside hitter, I could have not done it without my teammates, Kylie winning best setter. Honestly, it’s all team effort, overall,” Staunton said. 

The University of Georgia product is headed to Finland for her next stint, bringing a precious first PVL experience as a two-time champion with the Cool Smashers. 

“I was really able to kind of look to them for that inspiration, and even on the hard days just know that they’re putting themselves and they’re competing to win championships every day,” Staunton said. “That is something that I’ll take for the rest of my career, just working hard, pushing myself even though on days that I am tired and on days that I don’t wanna wake up for practice.”