Systema, IEM clash in title duel preview

Games today

4 p.m. – Systema vs IEM

6 p.m. – Meralco vs Cagayan

MANILA, Philippines - System Tooth and Gum Care and Instituto Estetico Manila size up each other today in a preview of the men’s championship while Cagayan Valley primes up for the women’s finals against Meralco at the close of the Shakey’s V-League Season 11 Third Conference elims at The Arena in San Juan.

The Active Smashers and the IEM Volley Masters head to their 4 p.m. clash with identical 4-1 cards with the winner gaining the top seeding and the momentum in the best-of-three finals of the season-ending conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s and backed by Mikasa and Accel starting Sunday.

IEM rallied from 1-2 set down to nip Systema in five in the very first men’s volley game last Oct. 5 with Jason Canlas, Karl dela Calzada and Jeffrey Jimenez combining to carry the team to victory.

The troika is again expected to lead the Volley Masters’ charge although coach Ernesto Balubar will likely try new combinations he could use to startle the Active Smashers in their keenly awaited showdown not only for the crown but also for the bragging rights as the league’s first-ever men’s champion.

Like Balubar, Systema mentor Arnold Laniog boasts of three hitters in Salvador Depante, Chris Antonio and Angelo Espiritu with the trio also likely to take it easy today in preparation for Sunday’s big match.

The Rising Suns, meanwhile, try to toughen up for their title rematch with the Army Lady Troopers as they close out their elims campaign against the winless Meralco Power Spikers at 6 p.m.

Matches can be viewed live via streaming on www.v-league.ph <http://www.v-league.ph/> , according to the organizing Sports Visions.

The two best-of-three finals start Sunday with Systema and IEM colliding at 2 p.m. and Army and Cagayan Valley tangling at 4 p.m. The league will also honor the conference’s top players, including the MVPs, in simple rites after the men’s finals.