Creamline's Courtney Schwan relishes the growing import competition as the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference continues to heat up.
Courtney Schwan continued to shine for the Creamline Cool Smashers, powering the defending PVL Reinforced Conference champions past the Chery Tiggo EV Crossovers in four sets at the FilOil EcoOil Arena on Tuesday, October 28.
The American import fired a game-high 29 points on 25 attacks and four aces, while also tallying nine excellent receptions, leading the Cool Smashers in a crucial outing once more.
Despite her explosive outing, Schwan emphasized that the team is still fine-tuning its system and rotations midway through the eliminations.
“I think we’re still working [things] out. We tried to [change some] lineups tonight. We’re working on some things,” Schwan said during the post-game press conference.
“I think everybody made an impact when they came in, so that was huge for us.”
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No pressure from fellow imports
After five matches, it's safe to say that Schwan has been a model of consistency for the Cool Smashers, averaging 22.8 points per game.
Courtney Schwan spikes the ball during Creamline's four-set win over Chery Tiggo EV in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference. | Photo: PVL
However, so have other imports, who have delivered even bigger performances. Among the standouts are ZUS Coffee’s Anna DeBeer, Farm Fresh’s Helene Rousseaux, and Akari’s Annie Mitchem, with the three having scored over 30 points in key wins this conference.
But even with plenty of expectations surrounding Schwan, the 29-year-old spiker brushed off any sense of pressure or rivalry.
“I don’t think there’s an urgency to do more,” she said.
“I think it’s just gotta stay where I am and stay the course. It’s fun, I’m excited about it. I love high competitive volleyball, so I’m excited to keep playing at that level.”
Looking ahead
As Creamline prepares for the tougher stages of the tournament, Schwan believes consistency and adaptability will be key in order to make a championship run.
[ALSO READ: Courtney Schwan credits growing trust with Creamline to finding form in PVL Reinforced]
The Cool Smashers improved to 3-2 in Pool B, securing a top-three finish heading into the second round.
“Kind of with the same mentality,” she explained. “Gotta get better, gotta find different ways to score. Every team has seen us play now, so they know what we’re capable of. So, always finding new ways or finding what works against each team.”
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.