AKARI libero Justine Jazareno returned to the taraflex last January after a year-long layoff upon giving birth to her firstborn child Don Austin.
And in the Chargers’ most important match yet in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference, Jazareno’s herculean effort on floor defense helped them zero in on back-to-back podium finishes for the first time in their three-year franchise history.
The former La Salle floor general tallied her personal-best 29 digs on 60 percent efficiency on top of 16 receptions in Akari’s 24-26, 21-25, 25-15, 25-18, 15-11 reverse sweep of Choco Mucho.
READ: Akari denies Choco Mucho in five sets to close in on PVL bronze
“[Ginusto naming] kunin na yung laro na ‘to for bronze. Gusto rin naman namin na manalo dahil pinaghirapan din naman namin yung [conference] na ‘to,” Jazareno said.
Such a breakthrough performance was by no means an easy one to pull off for the 25-year-old.
For starters, it has only been roughly over three months since her volleyball comeback.
And through the second half of the conference she played, Jazareno had to manage a handful of responsibilities on her plate.
The Akari libero is treading her new life as a wife and mother while completing her undergraduate thesis as an early childhood education student at La Salle.
While it has all still felt surreal for her, Jazareno isn’t taking her new lease on life in the PVL for granted now that she’s a win away from being a bemedalled athlete, mother and student.
“Overwhelming pa rin siya kasi siyempre, wala pa akong one year na nakabalik. Thankful lang din ako sa chance na binibigay ni coach sa akin, yung trust niya talaga sa akin ever since,” she said.
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