MANILA, Philippines -- Pauline Gaston had a solid debut for Chery Tiggo on Saturday, scoring eight points off the bench to help them defeat Army Black Mamba in four sets.

Gaston did not play in the Crossovers' first game of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference -- a sweep of Cignal HD last Tuesday. But she was ready to contribute against the Lady Troopers, coming off the bench in the second set and doing work on both ends of the floor.

The 25-year-old open spiker scattered eight points and also had seven receptions as the Crossovers overcame a letdown in the second set to complete a 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 25-12 triumph.

"I'm happy that our first game was a win. Ang laki po ng tiwala namin sa isa't isa, and ang laki po ng tiwala ni Ate Mylene [Paat] at ni coach Aaron [Velez] sa lahat po ng players," said Gaston, who made a high-profile transfer from Choco Mucho to Chery Tiggo in the offseason.

"If napansin niyo, kahit sino pwedeng ipasok. 'Yun talaga 'yung plan, and kahit sino man 'yung nasa loob, dapat lahat mag-deliver. So I'm just glad that lahat po kami na pinasok, nakapag-laro at nakapag-deliver ng maayos," she added.

Asked if she was happy with her new team, Gaston was quick to answer: "Of course, yes. No regrets. I'm home na."

Gaston later explained that even before she transferred to Chery Tiggo, she already felt close with their star player, Mylene Paat. She had deliberately sought out the veteran opposite spiker during the 2021 PVL Open Conference that took place in the Baccara bubble in Ilocos Norte, in the hopes that she can learn from Paat.

Thus, she was not worried when she eventually signed with the Crossovers, knowing she already had a friend in the team.

"Alam ko na bago pa lang ako makapasok, meron na akong kilala na mag-aalaga sa amin. And pagdating na pagdating ko, super welcoming 'yung team," said Gaston. "There was no player na parang na-feel ko na hindi sila masaya na andoon ako."

"So I feel like I fit right in -- girls, coaching staff, everything," she added.

That trust and comfort with her new team kept Gaston on an even keel when she was benched for their first game.

"I super trust the process," she said. "Kahit hindi ako ginamit noong first game, baka hindi 'yun 'yung tamang time na ipapasok ako."

"And maganda 'yung pinakita ng teammates ko noong first game, so alam ko na I'll have my chance, and I'm happy na talagang binigyan nila ako ng chance," she added. "Ang team namin, I feel, it's really a collaborative effort. Hindi talaga siya parang isa lang umaangat."

"That win in the first game, I felt like, I was part of that, kahit wala ako sa loob."

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