The FEU women's chess team. UAAP Media.
UST complete men's three-peat; FEU-Diliman dominates high school chess
MANILA -- Far Eastern University reclaimed the title it last won four seasons ago by dominating the competition in the UAAP Season 86 Women's Chess Championship on Sunday at the FEU Tech Gym.
This is FEU's sixth women's chess crown, and their first since Season 82.
National University, the two-time defending champions, finished second while Ateneo de Manila University completed the podium.
Woman National Master Mary Joy Tan, who spearheaded FEU's championship run, bagged the MVP title along with a gold medal on Board 2. Woman National Master Mhage Sebastian also pocketed the Rookie of the Year award and the gold medal on Board 3.
"Actually wala po talaga sa isip ko yung MVP even yung sa board medals. Yung inisip lang po talaga namin, as long as magchampion yung team okay na po yun so parang laking blessing na po yung MVP," said Tan.
Rounding out FEU's medalists are bronze medalists Rizalyn Tejada (Board 5) and Shaina Romanillos (Board 6).
NU was led by Board 1 silver medalist Woman FIDE Master Allaney Doroy, Board 3 bronze medalist Jesca Docena, Board 4 silver medalist Natasja Balabo, and Board 5 gold medalist Jelaince Adriane.
The back-to-back third placers Ateneo also had four medalists in Jiessel Marino (Board 1 gold medalist, Ma. Elayza Villa (Board 2 Silver medalist), Alphecca Gonzales (Board 4 bronze medalist), and Glesit Tatoy (Board 6 gold medalist).
Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas completed its three-peat after going unbeaten in the men's tournament en route to their tenth chess title overall.
Ateneo de Manila University finished second, its first podium finish in more than a decade, while last season's runner-up University of the Philippines settled for third in Season 86.
Melito Ocsan Jr. nabbed the tournament MVP after leading UST with a gold medal on Board 2 courtesy of eight wins and two losses.
Four other members of the UST squad took home a medal each in their board assignments led by Season 86 Rookie of the Year and National Master Chester Reyes (Board 3 gold medalist), FIDE Master Christian Mark Daluz (Board 1 bronze medalist), Julius Gonzales (Board 4 gold medalist), and Carl Daluz (Board 6 bronze medalist).
In ending Ateneo's podium drought, it was Paul Matthew Llanilo's impeccable performance that buoyed the Katipunan-based squad after taking the gold medal on the top board with Janmyl Tisado also taking a gold medal on Board 5.
Ateneo's Christopher Kis-ing and Tristan Cervero also finished with silver medals on boards 3 and 4, respectively.
Meanwhile, UP's FIDE Master Stephen Pangilinan, the Season 85 co-MVP, finished with a silver medal on Board 1 to lead the Fighting Maroons' third-place finish.
Far Eastern University - Diliman swept the high school titles, with their girls' team securing the crown in the penultimate round while the boys took down University of Santo Tomas in the final round to complete the double championship.