THE ATENEO Women’s Chess Team was put away by the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors, 1.5-2.5, in the seventh round of matches in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 82 Women’s Chess Tournament on Saturday, October 5, at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila City. 

As the first round of the tournament drew to a close, this loss set the Lady Eagles back to fourth seed with a 3-2-2 record and a total of 16 points, including a 1.5 point separation between them and the third-seeded De La Salle University Lady Archers. 

Team Captain Merlene Membrere was at the helm in first board while Alexis Oseña, Manilyn Cabuncag, and Laila Nadera followed in boards two, three, and four, respectively.

Membrere, Oseña, and Nadera all ended their matches in a deadlock against their opponents. Moreover, Cabuncag failed to maintain her spotless record as she conceded a match for the first time in the tournament.

Membrere attributes today’s loss to the fact that there was a change within the team. “The excitement over the games had declined, unlike what we felt during the first rounds wherein [the] spirit and motivation were really high,” she said.

Despite losing the final match of the first round, Coach Yves Rañola assured his team to keep their heads up. “Don’t think too much about your mistakes and just enjoy the game,” he said to them.

The Lady Eagles will seek redemption in their next match against the second-seeded UST Lady Tigresses in the second round of the UAAP Season 82 Women’s Chess Tournament on Sunday, October 6, 1:00 PM, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila City.