We have not seen anything like Cal's Mia Jerkov, aside from Kim Willoughby and Lily Kahumoku. We have not experienced anything like the precisely balanced attacks of Georgia Tech and Illinois, unless you remember defending NCAA champion Southern California shredding Florida and the Rainbow Wahine back in August.

All four teams here advanced without losing a game last week. All 16 seeds reached the regionals.

In tonight's opener, the most compelling question will be if the Rambling Wreck's fast-forward attack can out-run the most prolific player in Cal history. In the second semifinal, the Fighting Illini will come at Hawai'i from every angle while limiting their focus to Willoughby and Kahumoku.

But beyond the clearly drawn style lines of these teams lies the league factor. Illinois and Cal come out of two of the top conferences in the country, where every weekend is a difficult adventure. As Cal coach Rich Feller says, "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger."

Hawai'i and Georgia Tech have basically coasted for two months.

"One of our strongest motivators," Rambling Wreck coach Bond Shymansky says, "is that even though we're a higher seed, we're the underdog and that's a position we like. When we had one loss, people were so quick to discredit us. We have to continue to go out and earn our respect. We're anxious to show what Georgia Tech volleyball is all about. In a West Coast setting against a West Coast school ... that's exactly where we want to be."

The Big Ten sent an NCAA-best seven teams to the tournament. None are in the top 10, but the conference's depth is devastating.

The 'Bows refuse to covet a quality they cannot control. "I believe it's the way it's supposed to be," UH senior Maja Gustin says. "Thinking about it is not going to help. We don't go into that."

Her coach believes there is a more important issue.

"I know Cal and Illinois have been through a lot," UH coach Dave Shoji says. "But whether or not it's an advantage to play good teams remains to be seen. Whether Illinois can stop our offense is going to be the big question. I don't know if a tougher schedule will help them or not. I don't know if they've seen a Kim or Lily in their conference. I don't think anybody has two players like our two. I don't think they've seen anybody play defense like we play defense. I could be wrong, but I don't think they have seen anybody like Hawai'i."

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.

HAWAI'I

No. 2 Hawai'i (34-1 overall, 52-18 NCAA Tournament)

KIM WILLOUGHBY

Maja Gustin (6-3 Sr. MB) sprained her ankle last week, allowing Lundqvist the opportunity for a career-high performance. "If Maja can't go hard, Karin will start, but we know Maja can come in and play if we need her," Shoji says. ... The Rainbow Wahine have won their last 33, but have not played a ranked team since Sept. 19. ... This is their sixth straight regional. They have been in the final four two of the last three years.

"We played really well last week and I don't think our competition dictated how we played then or how we'll play this week," Shoji says. "We're ready and confident we will play well."

7,000s a crowd: Hawai'i leads the nation with an average attendance of 7,317. Illinois, Georgia Tech and Cal average half that much (3,607) — combined.

GEORGIA TECH

No. 7 Georgia Tech (33-3, 6-6 NCAA)

The Rambling Wreck put their attack into hyper-drive with third-team Academic All-America setter Kele Eveland (5-11 Sr.) at the controls. The ACC Player of the Year leads the country in assists, holds the conference and school record for career assists and is seventh in NCAA history. ... Eveland is one of four all-region Yellow Jackets, with Lynnette Moster (5-10 Jr. OH), Alexandra Preiss (6-3 Sr. MB) and Lauren Sauer (6-4 Jr. MB). ... Moster became the Yellow Jacket — and third ACC player overall — to earn All-America honors last season when she was named to the second team. ... All five starters average more than two kills and hit better than .270. ...

Won its first 23, including four over ranked teams, and moved up as high as No. 4 before falling in five at Maryland. Its 29 consecutive weeks in the poll is an ACC record, as is the No. 4 ranking. ... Other losses came against Maryland in ACC Championship i after winning regular season — and Long Beach State. ... Last match against ranked team was Sept. 19. ... Best winning percentage in school history and tied school record for wins.

"When we're playing well," Eveland says, "the system is just flowing and people are working so hard and errors are just overlooked because they're out of hard work and effort. You're only looking for the next ball. It is fun."

Pick one: Georgia Tech gets by with two nicknames — Yellow Jackets and The Rambling Wreck, a restored 1930 Model A Ford Sport Coupe that has led its football team onto the field at home games since Sept. 30, 1961.

CAL

No. 10 Cal (25-6, 6-6 NCAA)

It is no coincidence that much of what Cal accomplished this season was seen last around the time Mia Jerkov (6-3 Jr. OH) was born. Last year, the Croatian became Cal's first All-American (third team) in 20 years, and only its second overall. ... This year, she lifted the Golden Bears to consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time since 1983 and, more to the point in Berkeley, helped Cal end a 40-match losing streak to Stanford. ... Jerkov is fifth nationally in kills at 5.97 per game and led the Pac-10 in points (kills, blocks and aces combined). ... She has launched more than 30 kills in six matches this year, is hitting .285 and has taken nearly 1,000 more swings than any other Cal player. ... Setter Samantha Carter (5-11) was second in the Pac-10 in assists and joined by teammates Jillian Davis (5-9 L) and Amanda Fox (6-3 OH) on the conference's all-freshman team. ...

The Bears won their first 16 to reach a school-high No. 5 in the rankings Oct. 13. That was followed by five-game losses to UCLA and USC. Cal was swept by Arizona — its only loss to an unranked team — and lost to Stanford, UCLA and USC a month ago before winning its last six. ... It is the only school to extend the defending-NCAA champion Trojans to five games.

No translation needed: Mia Jerkov (YAIR-cove) grew up in Split, Croatia. Father Zeljko stands 7 feet and led Yugoslavia to the silver medal in basketball at the 1976 Olympics and gold in 1980.

ILLINOIS

No. 15 Illinois (26-6, 21-14 NCAA)

Illinois also presents a balanced attack orchestrated by a shifty setter. UH coach Dave Shoji started and ended yesterday's press conference detailing the virtues of all-Big Ten setter Erin Virtue (5-8 Jr.). ... "She likes to take a lot of chances," Shoji said. "We can't assume she's going anywhere. I really like the setter. She's the heart and soul of that team from what I can see on tape." ... Virtue is surrounded by size, with her hitters averaging 6-3. The most imposing is Lisa Argabright (6-5 Sr. MB), another all-conference player who leads the team in kills (3.79), hitting (.383) and blocks (1.29). ... Don Hardin was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the second time in three years. ...

The Fighting Illini were picked to finish ninth in the Big Ten after last year's injury-wracked 13-16 season. They tied for second. ... Illinois beat the other six conference teams in the tournament, but also lost to all but one (Michigan State). Its other loss came against Nebraska the second night of the season. ... This is its first regional in five years and its best record in a decade. Its No. 15 ranking this week is its best of the year.

"We don't have to beat all the past teams in the history of Hawai'i's program," Hardin says, "but seven seniors is really a strong thing to overcome on any team. That leadership is the thing that concerns me most."

Try again: Illinois reached its only final fours in 1987 and '88, and lost to Hawai'i both years.