Here's how Barrington boys volleyball handed La Salle its first loss
PROVIDENCE – Thursday night brought a shakeup in the Division I boys volleyball title race courtesy of Barrington.
The Eagles became the first Rhode Island team this season to hang a loss on La Salle, and they did it in a tight sweep.
Donovan Park and Logan Lane starred, Calvin Oberacker provided the finishing swing and Barrington strolled out of McLaughlin Athletic Center with a 3-0 win over the Rams. The Eagles held their nerve during the tense moments to post a 26-24, 26-24, 25-22 triumph on May 14.
Barrington won the final three points in each of the first two sets and protected its lead down the stretch in the third. La Salle’s only defeat to date came against Needham (Mass.), but the Eagles offered some hope at the state’s top level – and, most importantly, to themselves – that the Rams could fall when the playoffs start in a few short days.
“Such a good experience,” Lane said. “I’d say that’s the best we’ve played this season. I think that’s the most like a team we’ve been this season.”
Park led all hitters with 20 kills and Oberacker reached double figures on his last attempt, totaling 10. Lane triggered the attack with 36 assists, added 12 digs and did his part in the blocking scheme. Barrington has won four straight matches after defeats against Coventry and Cranston East, the exact right time to be peaking while attempting to secure a top-four finish in the standings.
“It’ll keep pushing us through the rest of the season,” Park said. “Because our aim is the D-I state championship – I really think this will carry us through the rest of the season.”
The Eagles set the tone for this one with some persistence late in the opening set. They overcame a 20-15 deficit, staved off a set point at 24-23 on a kill by David Stewart and used a pair of La Salle mistakes to take the lead in the match. A net violation by the Rams at 25-24 sent Barrington to the huddle with the advantage.
“We were able to tell ourselves we had nothing to lose and everything to gain from this win,” Lane said. “And we played like it – that was great.”
Park did the honors himself down the stretch after the Eagles (12-5) squandered a 20-13 lead in the second. Daniel Ayorinde’s kill at 23-23 gave La Salle a set point to pull even in the match, but Park jumped into action at the ideal time. His three straight kills – one set up by Oberacker, one after a clutch dig by libero Josh Shanty – pushed Barrington to a 2-0 advantage.
“I could tell that no team has ever pushed them like that,” Park said. “I could tell that they were taken aback and that we could win.”
The Rams (12-2) never led in the third after Lane’s block snapped a 5-5 tie. Oberacker’s kill gave the Eagles three match points, and Lane’s quick set in the middle at 24-22 gave Oberacker a chance to attack an open space. He thumped home a kill that snapped La Salle’s five-match winning streak, a result that came despite 22 assists from Jackson Souto and 30 digs from libero Jayden Simao.
“I can kind of use everybody,” Lane said. “We wouldn’t have won if it was just Donovan out there.
“We needed to establish our middles, establish our right side – I don’t think we’ve been able to establish our right side until today.”
Park, Lane and Oberacker were sophomores when Barrington brought home a Division II crown in 2024. They endured a 3-16 campaign last season but have turned it around in 2026 thanks to steady improvement and a winning mentality. The Eagles have developed hitters to help take some attention from Park, who frequently saw three opposing blockers on his swings at the net last year.
“We’ve shown each other that we’re a team that can be very consistent,” Lane said. “We’re absolutely a contender for the championship.”
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Score of Barrington vs. La Salle boys volleyball match on May 14, 2026
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