COR Jesu College (CJC) of Digos bet Mohmin Morsalim and Philippine Women's College (PWC) of Davao's Bernie Padilla shared the men's division lead in the penultimate round of the Dacs 2018 Sportsfest collegiate chess competition held at the Davao Association of Catholic Schools (Dacs) office in Juna Subdivision, Matina, Davao City.
Morsalim and Padilla tallied identical four points after Round 5 of the six-round Swiss System format competition.
Second seed Ralph Miguel Reyes of the Ateneo de Davao University (Addu) edged fellow 3.5 scorer fourth seed John Raymund Vistal of CJC via superior tiebreaks to grab the third spot while the latter landed fourth.
Top seed Gino Angelo Asuncion of San Pedro College (SPC), for his part, led 10 other three-pointers to place fifth in the category that drew a total of 36 entries.
Morsalim, seeded sixth, earlier upset Asuncion in the third round. His other victims were Ateneo's Jeo Jao, St. Mary's College of Tagum's Harizon Maliga and St. Peter College of Toril's Dran Pio Eva.
Morsalim lost to Reyes in their fifth round clash.
Ninth seed Padilla also succumbed to Reyes but outclassed Velmar Lumantao and John Carlo Ferrer of Holy Cross of Calinan (HCC), Eric Cenabre of Assumption College of Davao (ACD) and Jasbie Agonias of Holy Cross of Davao College (HCDC).
In women's event, CJC's Queennie Galinada and Frince Ezra Vanjo Ocliasa scored 4.5 points along with HCDC's Jessa Marie Bautista to forge a three-way tie.
A total of 35 players are entered in the event.