She may not be the most outspoken senior, but Reg Jurado is making it a point for her presence to be felt by the UST Golden Tigresses.
For a while, Shaina Nitura and the Adamson Lady Falcons seemed poised to upset the UST Golden Tigresses, which would have sent the España-based spikers to their fourth-straight loss in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
It could have been the perfect redemption for the Falcons, who failed to close out the UP Lady Maroons during Nitura’s historic 38-point effort last March 16, while giving last year’s silver medalists their fourth-straight loss for the ongoing UAAP season.
That seemed to be the likely outcome — before Reg Jurado took it upon herself to restore order for UST. With the Nitura-led crew threatening to pull away by Set 4, the prized lefty came up huge in breaking a 22-all deadlock, scoring four crucial points to send the game into a decisive fifth set.
Jurado’s takeover continued by Set 5, notching four more points to finish with 20 markers on 15 kills, to go along with 18 digs and five receptions as UST laid waste to another Nitura scoring tear.
“Mindset ko talaga noon is kailangan namin manalo, kasi if matatalo kami, hirap na po talaga makabalik sa top four, kaya very ‘not me’ ako siguro noon, kasi ‘yung adrenaline ko, the will to win is lumalabas po,” Jurado moments after the intense 25-18, 23-25, 22-25, 27-25, 15-8 comeback over Adamson.
If anything, this has been the story of Season 87 for the lefty opposite. Now in her third year with the Tigresses, Jurado has embraced a bigger leadership and scoring role. Anyone who has followed UST throughout this season knows that there is just a different level of assertion from the prized opposite.
UST’s season has been far from ideal, but Jurado’s continued rise into a leader on and off the Taraflex has been a welcome development for the Tigresses.
“Challenging siya kasi gusto ko talaga maging ate na they can rely on, na parang pumupuntos din, so siguro now, na-embrace ko na din, hindi na ako nagpapadala sa pressure kaya kusa na din lumalabas yung pagiging senior ko,” she told The GAME in a follow-up conversation.
Jurado, however, admits being more of a silent co-captain, one who would prefer to lead by example and have more intimate conversations with each of her teammates. It’s a stark contrast to her co-captain Detdet Pepito, whose stellar backrow defense is accompanied by her highly vocal leadership on the Taraflex.
“Most of the time po, hinahayaan ko lang po muna si Ate Det mag-talk, kasi siya talaga ‘yung kailangan ng team,” Jurado shared of her dynamic with the longtime UST skipper. “So pasulpot-sulpot lang po ako, pero sinisigurado ko din na may natututnan ako sa ginagawa niya or masasabi niya para magawa ko din in the future.”
But as she pointed out, this much-expanded role isn’t free from challenges. As stable as she has been throughout Season 87, the 22-year-old isn’t exempt from making mishits, or erroneous digs that could have prolonged a rally for the Tigresses.
“Mahirap kasing magdala ng team if ikaw sa sarili mo, hindi ka ganun ka sure, mahirap magdala ng team if hindi ka din marunong magdala sa sarili mo, ‘yan yung isa sa challenges, siguro dalhin mo muna yung sarili bago mo madala yung team,” she admitted.
Still, it’s hard to overlook Reg Jurado’s impressive form for Season 87, which is backed up by her 18.4 points (184 in total) across 10 games on 35.45 percent efficiency, to go along with a solid 2.33 digs per set.
While Jurado is giving herself a pat on the back, she knows that it’s no sign to settle with this current form, either.
“I’m very happy na ganun po, pero I think I shouldn’t let it get that much in my head, kasi baka ‘yun pa ‘yung maging downfall ko. Basta ang importante lang po is maging there for the team, and makapag-contribute and maging reliable,” the star lefty concluded.
Images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.