NATIONAL University bagged its first-ever UAAP women's chess title at the conclusion of the Season 84 chess tournaments on Wednesday evening at the FEU Engineering Building Auditorium in Sampaloc, Manila.
The Lady Bulldogs, who virtually bagged the title before the day's matches, lost to De La Salle University, 1.5-2.5, on the final day to finish the tournament with 26.5 points. NU went out with seven wins, one draw, and one loss after both eliminations and the Final Four round.
De La Salle University ended in second with 21 points, while Adamson broke the deadlock with Ateneo with the 2-2 draw for the third-place finish with 15.5 points and nine match points. Ateneo got fourth also with 15.5 points but just six match points.
NU rookie WFM Allanney Doroy went undefeated in all her six matches to bag the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards to go with her Board 2 gold.
"Siyempre, sobrang saya po and overwhelming kasi two years din po kaming napahinga," Doroy said of winning the title this year in the collegiate level. The Lady Bulldogs were the same team that won the high school girls title in Season 82. "Uhaw na uhaw po kami sa championship trophy din po talaga."
Teammates Princess Ballete topped Board 1 on a 60-percent winning clip and Jesca Docena took Board 4 win with 4.5 points on a 75-percent clip.
La Salle's Francois Marie Magpily snagged the Board 3 gold over NU's Kylen Mordido with a head-to-head matchup win. Jellie Ann Magro of Adamson and Katherine Bunao of UP took the Board 5 and 6 golds, respectively, with three points and two points, respectively.
Far Eastern University barely missed the Final Four on match points with four, despite tying Ateneo and Adamson with 11.5 points after the eliminations.
University of the Philippines and University of Santo Tomas rounded up in sixth and seventh places with 10.5 and 7.5 points, respectively. (Dennis Lachica, Sportsmanila Photojournalist)