THE UST Male Woodpushers ruled the inaugural UAAP Season 87 rapid chess tournament after taming the top-seeded FEU Tamaraws in the finals at the Adamson Gym on Saturday, March 29.
UST fell short in the first game, 2-5-1.5, but recovered in the second game, 2.5-1.5, to clinch the championship on tiebreakers, courtesy of Mark Daluz and Chester Reyes’s performances on Board 1 and 2, respectively.
“May factor ng luck e. Sinuwerte tayo kasi ‘yong Board 2 natin losing na e,” UST head coach Ronald Dableo told the Varsitarian. “Pero suwerte and nerve din ‘yan ng player e; lumabas din pagka-veteran ng mga bata.”
Reyes bagged the MVP award and the silver medal on Board 2 after finishing the tournament unbeaten in 10 games.
Julius Gonzales also notched the silver medal on Board 4, while Melito Ocsan Jr. and Carl Daluz were awarded bronze on Boards 3 and 5, respectively.
“Hindi na tinatablan ng kaba ‘yang mga yan e. Hindi na tayo ‘yong kapag natalo, wala na, dire-direto na. Hindi. Nakaka-recover talaga ‘yong mga bata,” Dableo said.
In women’s play, the UST Lady Woodpushers fell short of a podium finish after faltering against the DLSU Lady Woodpushers in the bronze-medal match.
They earlier succumbed to the top-seeded Ateneo Blue Eagles in the semifinals.
Jamaica Lagrio nabbed UST’s lone gold medal on Board 1, while Princes Oncita notched silver on Board 6.
