National University annexed its fourth consecutive Women’s Championship via 6-0 sweep in the UAAP Season 82 Taekwondo Tournament at the Blue Eagle Gym Friday.
The Lady Bulldogs hurdled their biggest threats in the final day of competition, beating University of Santo Tomas, 5-2, and University of the Philippines, 4-3, to complete a perfect season.
In her final year with NU, bantamweight Baby Jessica Cabanal, a 2015 Rookie of the Year from Bicol, emerged as the season MVP.
“Sobrang saya po kasi sa whole four years na laban, lahat po iyon champion na kasama ko sila,” said Cabanal.
The Lady Tiger Jins finished second with a 5-1 mark, while the Lady Maroons reached podium after going 4-2 in the three-day meet.
“UP and UST, talagang challenging,” said Cabanal.
The Lady Bulldogs are the league’s third-winningest team behind UST’s 12 and De La Salle’s 6.
Leaving a legacy behind by steering NU to become the new power in women’s taekwondo, Cabanal hopes that her teammates will continue to strive for excellence to remain in the throne.
“Mag-training po sila ng mabuti at makinig po sila sa coaches. At magtiwala sila sa sarili,” said Cabanal.
The Tigresses rebounded from the loss to the Lady Bulldogs with a 7-0 romp of the Lady Green Jins.
After the defeat to NU, UP ended its campaign with a 5-2 conquest of University of the East to clinch third place.
Aside from Cabanal, flyweight Veronica Garces was the other gold medalist for the Lady Bulldogs.
Rounding out the gold medal winners were UP’s Amber Acosta (finweight) and Beatrice Gaerlan (featherweight), UST’s Realis Lorena Tabiando (lightweight) and Laila Delo (middle/heavyweight), and Far Eastern University’s Chlouie Bolinas (welterweight).
