San Jose State was stopped cold in California. Then Fresno State, picked to finish second to Hawai'i in WAC volleyball, got swept away.

"I thought we played high quality," Shoji said. "We need to keep playing at a high level on our side. We can't do much about what happens on the other side of the net."

Nevada comes into tonight's match at Stan Sheriff Center nursing self-inflicted wounds from a five-game loss at San Jose. It starts five underclassmen. It lost its only senior to injury. The all-region middle and all-WAC setter that lifted the Pack into the NCAA Tournament last year have graduated.

The odds on the Rainbow Wahine extending their WAC winning streak to 77 — and beyond — are excellent. Even opposing coaches admit it.

"Mentally they have to push themselves and know that even if the other team doesn't challenge them they have to challenge themselves," said Fresno State coach Lindy Vivas, whose team was also swept here last year, then took UH to five games in Fresno. "They can work on other goals ... little goals. ... They've got to challenge themselves in different ways because they are not going to be challenged by other teams."

The 'Bows go for their 14th consecutive victory tonight focused on staying away from 2002 WAC Freshman of the Year Salaia Salave'a, already among the Top 10 in career kills at Nevada, and slowing Christine Harms, who has seven double-doubles (kills and digs) this season.

But mostly, the Rainbow Wahine are focused on themselves. They know they have to get better between now and the NCAA Tournament. They also know several thousand people will pay to watch that process.

"I think the crowd just has to enjoy Hawai'i, never mind the other team," Shoji said. "We just need to enjoy the good plays.

"Our team loves playing. I don't think it matters who is across the net. We're going to have fun playing. And when you've got 6,000 people, you just can't let down."

QUICK SETS: The annual alumnae exhibition will be at 5 tonight. Players expected to participate include Terry Malterre, Diana McInerny-McKibbin, Linda Fernandez, Marilyn Moniz-Kaho'o-hanohano, Sista Palakiko Beazley, Tanja Nikolic, Karrie Trieschman, Aven Lee, Cheryl Grimm and Heidi and Hedder Ilustre.