Courtney Schwan showed off her all-around game in Creamline's four-set victory over Nxled in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference.
Courtney Schwan delivered her most well-rounded performance in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference so far.
The American spiker notched a rare triple-double with 14 points, 14 excellent digs, and 15 excellent receptions to steer Creamline past Nxled, 20-25, 25-13, 25-16, 25-18, on Thursday, November 6, at the FilOil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.
Despite the impressive stat line, Schwan admitted she felt she wasn’t at her sharpest in the match.
“I don’t feel my best about this match, so I’m very happy that the numbers are there. I’m just gonna take that and be happy with that,” she told One Sports. “But there are still some things that showed in this match that I can get better at.”
Finding ways to contribute
Instead of forcing her offense, Schwan allowed her defensive game to anchor Creamline’s momentum shift after a slow first set.
Creamline celebrates after scoring a point in their four-set win vs Nxled. | Photo: RM Chua/One Sports
This allowed locals to shine, led by Michele Gumabao and Pangs Panaga, who had 13 and 12 markers, respectively.
“Like we talked about, any way that I can help,” she said. “If I’m not scoring very much this match, or I was having a tough time in the first set, I’ll find another way to help the team the best that I can. And today, for me, that was defense.”
Quarterfinal berth nears
With the win, Creamline improved to 4-2 in the standings, inching closer to securing a quarterfinal spot.
For Schwan, it starts with the Cool Smashers enjoying themselves on the court, relieving the pressure of being defending champions.
“I think that first set we were a little tense, and we weren't playing our normal kind of volleyball, and we were kind of hesitant, and we kind of wanted to play a little bit more free in the rest of the match and with confidence and a little bit more trust,” she said.
(With reports from Jamie Velasco/One Sports)
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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.