The Rainbow Wahine hammered Fresno State, 30-22, 30-19, 30-24, before 4,856 at Stan Sheriff Center.

The Bulldogs (12-4, 2-1) came here with a share of first, votes in the Top 25 and — based on the preseason coaches' poll and their record — the best chance in the WAC to beat the 'Bows. But FSU was never in last night's match as Hawai'i took control early and refused to let it go.

All-Americans Kim Willoughby (19 kills, 10 digs) and Lily Kahumoku (16 and 11) anchored a relatively balanced UH offense. Maja Gustin added eight kills and was in on four of Hawai'i's five blocks. Nohea Tano jump-started the 'Bows' block and Lauren Duggins was the only starting hitter without an error.

It was not as if the sweep came as a surprise. The Rainbow Wahine (14-1, 2-0 WAC) have won 13 in a row, all 31 in the series with the Bulldogs and the last 76 against WAC opponents dating to 1998.

And Fresno, despite its sparkling preseason and the Willoughby/Kahumoku-like numbers of Kristen Fenton, only returns two starters from last season. The most compelling loss was all-region setter Whitney Arena, who had to give up her final two years of eligibility because of chronic pain in her forearms.

That left only Robyn Keune, who walked on last year and was shockingly solid the first 15 matches of the season.

"Our lack of experience at setter really hurt tonight," said FSU coach, and Punahou graduate, Lindy Vivas. "We never got on track. It was Robyn's first match against a big team and it just never came around. It was unfortunate because Kristen Fenton is a great player and we never got her untracked."

The Rainbows were all over Fenton, an all-region hitter averaging more than five kills a game, from the first serve. She did not get her first kill until the 23rd serve. By then Kanoe Kamana'o's four-point service run had put the Bulldogs in a 13-10 hole.

They would never dig their way out and the Rainbow Wahine did not offer a shovel. They sent two blockers toward Fenton every time she got near the ball and stuffed her into .128 hitting — .232 points below her average.

"We prepared really well because they are a really good team, no doubt, especially defense," Gustin said. "Our scouting was really good — two blockers on No. 6 (Fenton), low and tight."

FSU hit just .168 as a team, which made up for Hawai'i's relatively low number of blocks in coach Dave Shoji's mind.

"We didn't block any balls in Game 1 but I thought we played good defense," he said. "Obviously we did something right."

Tuli Peters, a freshman out of Kahuku High, was the Bulldogs' bright spot. She came up big in her first trip home with nine kills on a team-high .364 hitting, and 12 digs. Still, Peters was in tears after visiting friends and family, and fighting the frustration created by Hawai'i.

"UH came out and did what they needed to do and we just weren't able to stop them," Peters said. "Lily and Kim are great players but they're regular people, too. They make mistakes, too. So do the other players on their team and so do we, but we just never got past our mistakes."

QUICK SETS: Hawai'i plays Nevada tomorrow at 7 p.m. The WAC match will be preceded by the annual Rainbow Wahine alumnae match, at 5 p.m. ... The Wolf Pack (8-8, 2-1) missed a chance to come here alone in first when it let a two-game advantage get away last night, losing in five at San Jose State. ... Louisiana Tech won its first WAC volleyball road match — ever — last week at UTEP.