Five teams are chasing two remaining spots in the women’s Final Four of the V-League Collegiate Challenge, and this weekend’s slate at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City could decide it all. Every set matters as the field scrambles for survival.

University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, University of Santo Tomas, University of the East and San Beda all carry matching 3-3 records heading into the final stretch. College of Saint Benilde, at 2-4, still has a narrow path to the semifinals — if results break its way.

Adamson University and Arellano University have already locked up the tournament’s first two Final Four berths, each finishing preliminaries with identical 5-1 records. Their seeding for the semifinals — which will be played as best-of-three series pitting the top-ranked team against the fourth seed — is still being sorted out.

Saturday Matchups Set the Tone

Perpetual’s Lady Altas enter the weekend with the most match points among the contenders still fighting for a spot, sitting at 10. They face Letran’s Lady Knights, who are already out of semis contention, in a 12 p.m. matchup on Saturday, September 26.

UE’s Lady Warriors, holding nine points, have a tougher assignment. They square off against Arellano’s Lady Chiefs at 10 a.m. — a matchup that could swing the standings before Sunday’s action even begins.

Over in the men’s bracket, UST looks to keep its own semis hopes alive after clawing back from an 0-2 start to reach 3-3. The Growling Tigers face unbeaten Far Eastern University at 5 p.m. Saturday, following the National University-Arellano clash set for 3 p.m.

Sunday Brings Win-or-Go-Home Stakes

UST’s Golden Tigresses cannot afford any slip-ups Sunday. They also sit at nine points and take on Benilde’s Lady Blazers at 10 a.m., a matchup where anything less than a win could end their campaign.

The Lady Blazers, with eight points, need a commanding victory and a favorable tiebreaker scenario to sneak into the semifinals. It’s a tall order, but not out of reach, given how tight the standings are across the board.

San Beda’s Lady Red Spikers round out Sunday’s slate at 12 p.m. against Adamson’s Lady Falcons. Sitting at seven points, San Beda needs help from earlier results to keep its last-berth hopes intact.

On the men’s side, prelims wrap up Sunday with a sister-school showdown between Benilde and De La Salle at 3 p.m. New Letran coach Jessie Lopez then faces his alma mater as the Knights meet FEU’s Tamaraws at 5 p.m.

FEU (5-0), Letran (5-1) and NU (4-2) have already clinched their spots in the men’s semifinals, though final seeding remains undecided. Benilde, at 2-4 with eight points, still has a shot if it beats De La Salle convincingly and NU falls to Arellano in three or four sets.

La Salle and Arellano, both sitting at 2-4 with six points, have already been eliminated from men’s semis contention. Neither team can reach the nine points needed to catch UST, which has already secured 10.