Instituto downs Systema in V-League Finals preview

MANILA, Philippines -- Instituto Estetico Manila downed Systema Tooth and Gum Care, 25-23, 22-25, 25-20, 25-21, Thursday night in a sneak preview of the men's finals of the Shakey's V-League Season 11 Third Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

Jason Canlas led all spikers with 16 hits, 13 coming off kills, two on service aces and one on block to propel the Volley Masters to their fifth win in six outings, good enough for them to top the elimination on Shakey's first ever men's tournament after 11 seasons.

Jeffrey Jimenez and Karl Ian dela Calzada chipped in 14 and 11 hits, respectively, for the win that should give Instituto enough confidence entering its much-awaited best-of-three title-showdown with Sytema starting on Sunday.

"We didn't consider this match as non-bearing," said Instituto coach Ernesto Balubar in Filipino.

"In fact, we treated it seriously because we want to get some confidence out of this entering the finals where we will again face them," he added.

Instituto thus swept Systema in two games in the elims after the former rallied from 1-2 set down in their first meeting on Oct. 5 to edge the latter in five gruelling sets ith the troika of Canlas, dela Cruz and Jimenez doing most of the damage.

Canlas, dela Cruz and Jimenez were at it again.

Angelo Espiritu, Salvador Depante and Sylvester Honrade scattered 12, 11 and 11, respectively, to lead the Active Smasghers including in the second set that they took to knot it at a set apiece.

They got buried under the avalanche of the attacking spree unleashed by Canlas, Jimenez and dela Cruz to help Instituto regain its opening set form and take the last two sets that sealed it.