Regine Jurado and the UST Golden Tigresses in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.net
MANILA, Philippines — Reg Jurado’s selflessness has led her to a scoring tear, backstopping University of Santo Tomas’ go-to spiker Angge Poyos in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.
Jurado matched her season-high 22 points to lead UST past the University of the Philippines, 25-11, 25-23, 23-25, 25-12, for its fourth straight win in five games on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
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The third-year opposite spiker is not thinking about her emergence as a scoring threat, saying she’s just focused on helping last year’s top rookie Poyos and the Tigresses.
READ; UAAP: UST Tigresses stay hot, turn back UP for fourth straight win
“I’m just grateful I was able to help Angge out, especially since she’s the one who usually scores. I don’t really think about it too much anymore. I just play, and when I do, my performance comes out naturally,” Jurado said in Filipino.
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Jurado, who’s been averaging 17.6 points in five games — behind Poyos’ team-high 20.6-point norm– is eager to step up to fill in the void left by injured players including starter Jonna Perdido and Xyza Gula.
“My main goal is to help the team, especially since we lost an important player last season. I just want to contribute in every way I can to the team, in all aspects of the game,” she said.
READ; UAAP volleyball: Angge Poyos-Reg Jurado tandem delivers for UST
The UST rising star also showed her leadership, keeping her teammates together amid the tough third-set loss to the Fighting Maroons that led to their 13-point blowout of the fourth to rise to a 4-1 record.
“I just reminded everyone to stay calm… Thankfully, in the fourth set, we stuck to the system the coaches wanted, and it worked. If we keep doing that in the next games, we’ll definitely win,” she said.
Jurado and the Tigresses wrap up their first round against the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Sunday at the same venue in Pasay City before their finals rematch against the National University Lady Bulldogs on Sunday next week at Smart Araneta Coliseum.