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University boys volleyball prevails in tight match with Woodbridge

March 15, 2025

IRVINE – Cole Barkett has something to prove. He wants to fit in. Actually, he wants to do more than fit in.

He wants to stand out. And on Friday, the 6-foot-5 junior picked the biggest moment to put on a pair of stilts.

Barkett had a hand in seven of his team’s 15 points in Game 5 to lead University to a hard-fought victory over rival Woodbridge, 25-22, 19-25, 24-26, 26-24, 15-11, in a Pacific Coast League showdown.

“It was almost as if he put the team on his shoulders and turned himself into a one-man wrecking crew,” said teammate Cole McHenry, a junior who led University with 23 kills in his home gym.

The big nights by McHenry and Barkett helped University improve to 13-5 overall, 3-1 in the PCL. Woodbridge, which had an 8-3 lead in what could have been a decisive Game 4 for the Warriors, dropped to 7-3, 3-3.

“We’re in a really competitive league, I think everyone has a win and a loss,” said Alan Ho, the coach at Woodbridge. “That might be a theme over the year, everyone keeps beating up on each other.”

University coach Hailey Frey agreed with that assessment. But unlike Ho, she saw more consistency and execution, and really liked the way her team responded to the moment.

After struggling with consistency and injuries – including a broken fibula by Collin Hiller a couple weeks ago against Capistrano Valley – the Trojans put a complete game together.

“The last couple of games we found our groove, we found our chemistry,” Frey said. “Chemistry and culture is huge on our team.

“Every point matters for us because the league is very good this year. Every league match is going to be tight.”

Luke McHenry had 23 kills for University in a five-set victory over Woodbridge in a Pacific Coast League game Friday, March 14. (Photo by Martin Henderson)

McHenry, a three-year starter, said the Trojans are finally getting over the shock of losing Hiller and filling the hole in the lineup. He also said that being down, as the Trojans were several times, isn’t unusual. Importantly, he said, this is a team that doesn’t panic.

“We are so in the moment,” the 6-foot-4 McHenry said. “We really play one point at a time. We’ve fallen behind quite a bit and clawed our way back. But this is a crosstown rivalry, it’s real important for us to win. It mattered so much to us. We wanted to win for Collin.”

University took the first game after being tied at 20-20, but Soloman Moaleji had three kills over the last five points to secure a 25-22 victory.

Woodbridge tied the match with the most one-sided score – six points – after trailing, 14-11. But a series of runs over three possessions helped the Warriors take a 20-16 advantage to seize control.

Woodbridge overcame a 17-13 deficit in the third game as Sho Okihara served eight points in a row, powered by the play of Evan Condon, who had two blocks and a kill during the stretch. The run began with University hitting wide, long, and wide, which tied the score at 17-17 before Condon flexed his muscles. But even then, despite the big run, University rallied to 24 apiece. Woodbridge took it, 26-24, as Logan Matsuda dinked a winner and Holden Fogt struck the game-winner.

Woodbridge had a chance to win the match in Game 4, and held an 8-3 advantage early. But University put together runs of three and six to lead, 14-9. Woodbridge nickle-and-dimed its way to a 22-20 advantage, but Barkett had a dink, then an ace, and Woodbridge returned long. At 24-24, blocks by Moaleji and Rayan Heyati gave University a 26-24 victory that tied the match at two games.

Game 5 mostly belonged to Barkett, a middle blocker. He was big at the net early, then went to the service line with a 10-6 advantage and served to 12-6. Woodbridge answered with the help of the ceiling. Twice over the next four points the ball dropped between Uni defenders after hitting the roof.

“We got a little unlucky,” Barkett said. “Usually, that works to our advantage playing with the low roof because we’re used to it. One of them was completely my fault. I wasn’t watching the ball.”

Woodbridge got to within 12-10, but McHenry had a kill and Heyati had a block and a kill for the match win.

Woodbridge was led by Fogt’s 15 kills and Karen Shiari’s 11.

In addition to his 19 kills, Barkett had a couple of surprising aces. “I want to be a big player on this team, I always want to play my best” Barkett said. “I’m a good server, but I don’t usually get to serve. But the coach finally gave me a chance (after the match was tied at 1-1). I want to prove I’m one of the best players in the league.”

His performance against the Warriors was a good start.

University boys volleyball prevails in tight match with Woodbridge Orange County Register

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University boys volleyball prevails in tight match with Woodbridge

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