PARKVILLE, Mo. — The six-time national champion Park University Pirates men’s volleyball team is in search of more plunder.
“There is no doubt in my mind we can win a national championship,” 11th-year head coach Michael Talamantes said Tuesday.
His team, currently ranked No. 4 by the NAIA, sits at 10-2 overall with a 4-2 conference record.
“I think we're right there,” Talamantes said. “It's not a concern of if [we] have enough talent, or enough experience, we're right there.”
Standing in their way is a familiar face. Grandview University is currently ranked No. 1 by the NAIA and looks primed to defend their 2021 National Championship after a 3-set sweep of the Pirates on the road Tuesday.
“We have a good team. We had good energy. And I think that we're getting close,” said Park senior middle back Felipe Chagas.
Grandview eliminated Park in the 2021 semifinals of the NAIA tournament. Using the latest defeat as fuel, Park knows their challenge is steep.
“We just need to figure some things out,” Talamantes said. “But do we have the talent? Yes. Is Grandview that much better than us? No.”
