Alinsunurin delighted at rise of men’s volleyball as NU battles La Salle in Final Four

MANILA, Philippines – It has been a harder climb for Dante Alinsunurin and the National University Bulldogs as they sealed their place as the No. 2 seed in the UAAP men’s volleyball tournament Final Four on Saturday, surviving a tough DLSU Green Spikers squad in a five-set affair.

After being the gold standard of men’s volleyball for the longest time, NU now faces stiff competition in the UAAP with teams like La Salle, FEU and UST posing a threat to NU’s reign.

But even as his team struggles, Alinsunurin is happy to see more teams thrive in men’s volleyball.

Among the pioneers of the sport in the Philippines, the multi-titled coach said it gets more entertaining with no one team dominating the competition.

“Yun nga masaya e, kasi wala talagang dominanteng team ngayon, talagang makikita mo lahat lumalaban,” he said after NU won their playoff match for the No. 2 spot.

“Siguro may mga bagay lang na lumalamang kami sa sitwasyon pero sa tingin ko, yung talagang yung level natin sa men’s ngayon di lang sa UAAP, pati sa ibang liga na medyo gumaganda na,” he added.

Overseeing not just the NU program, but also the men’s national team program for years in the past, the decorated tactician said it was the product of a collective effort from all fronts to develop men’s volleyball to what it is today.

“Siguro andiyan na talaga yung kagustuhan namin na umangat yung men’s [volleyball] natin dito,” he said.

Alinsunurin, as well as his star setter Owa Retamar, was part of the Philippine men’s volleyball team that stunned in a silver medal finish at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games held in Manila.

Now, they aim for another championship in the UAAP – gunning for a four-peat – in Season 86. However, the NU squad must first hurdle the Green Spikers again in their Final Four matchup.

NU holds the twice-to-beat advantage over DLSU after their win on Saturday. They play again on Wednesday as the Bulldogs hope to book a return trip to the finals.