For National University (NU) head coach Dante Alinsunurin, pressure-packed matches are nothing new.

But in Game 2 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s volleyball best-of-three finals series, it was his calm leadership and unwavering belief in his players that turned the tide.

Alinsunurin, who has helmed the school’s men’s volleyball program since Season 73, steered the Bulldogs through another five-set thriller — this time, to victory — as they edged Far Eastern University (FEU), 25-20, 22-25, 25-15, 18-25, 15-11, on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena to force a do-or-die Game 3.

“I’m extremely grateful for how my players responded,” Alinsunurin said.

“Even when we couldn’t hear each other on the court, we just looked at each other and we understood what needed to be done. I’m thankful because they really delivered.”

The veteran tactician, already a six-time UAAP champion, kept his composure even after NU’s heartbreaking loss in Game 1, 25-22, 22-25, 25-13, 22-25, 13-15, last Sunday.

“That wasn’t the turning point for us,” he said.

“It was more about how we performed. I’ve always said it doesn’t matter what the result is, as long as the players learn from it. That’s the essence of the game — situations can go either way. What matters to me is whether they improve. I’ll take that gamble any day.”

Now chasing a fifth straight and seventh overall title for NU in the men’s tournament, Alinsunurin emphasized staying grounded even in the face of adversity, a mindset that proved crucial in the fifth set of Game 2.