SMU (13-13) played without junior setter Jessica Mihm, who left the team before the last match. All-WAC senior hitter Beth Karasek, nursing an injured shoulder, wasn't able to play in the front row.

Those were large losses. Mihm is second in SMU career assists and third in the WAC. Karasek is among the top 30 nationally in kills with five a game and is top five in WAC kills and digs.

But the way Hawai'i (24-0) has played in this unbeaten season, it probably would not have mattered. The 'Bows beat the Mustangs in Dallas in four games a month ago with those two starters.

Yesterday, before about 500 mostly green-clad fans, Hawai'i got in the zone early to break SMU's nothing-to-lose spirit. After a nearly flawless first game, UH played just well enough to erase any hint of drama.

"Pretty typical for us," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "In and out of being good and not so good."

UH junior Victoria Prince was typically spectacular. She broke Kim Willoughby's tournament record for hitting percentage by taking 15 swings and burying 13 kills without an error (.867).

"She's just a great athlete," teammate Teisa Fotu said. "Whatever (setter) Kanoe (Kamana'o) gives her, she has the ability to put away. For me, just watching is amazing."

SMU coach Lisa Seifert was more specific: "She's difficult to defend because she's incredibly athletic and her armswing is so fast. It's hard to get your feet in front of her. ... How do you get in front of that kid?"

The Mustangs rarely did.

"A lot of times nobody was up — I mean a lot of times," Prince said. "It's because our passing was so good. ... And Kanoe was smart enough to see I was all alone."

Prince's entire match was mirrored by a remarkable streak Susie Boogaard served up in Game 1 to take away any hope the Mustangs had for a miracle.

With Hawai'i ahead, 10-9, Boogaard launched her third consecutive kill over Jackie Erazmus, the 5-foot-9 senior libero in to replace Mihm. Boogaard dropped back to serve and ripped an ace. Alicia Arnott followed with one of her 14 kills. Then Prince obliterated a bad pass and dropped in with Kamana'o for one of her seven stuffs.

Seifert called time at 15-9, but her team's passing and Prince's relentless attack did not change. Prince drilled two more kills while the Mustangs couldn't muster a good enough pass to get a swing. Boogaard's jump serves kept finding seams and, after another mangled pass, Seifert called her last timeout.

Still nothing changed. Prince blasted a slide set from the right corner to the left. Freshman Caitlin Rainbird — Karasek's replacement — hit into the net and Arnott buried the next two over Erazmus.

It was 22-10 and SMU was on its way home, though it did hang tough for most of the final two games.

"I'm incredibly proud of the team for the way they came together in Games 2 and 3," Seifert said. "We pulled our defense together, dug more balls. We started serving tough and I think that's what gave them a little breakdown — the minute breakdown that they had. When their setter came out of the box it was a little easier for us to set up our defense."

The Rainbow hitters were error-free from 5-all in the first to 6-3 in the second. They hit .469 in Game 1, then looked human the rest of the match — with the exception of Prince and Fotu. Fotu played all the way around in Game 3 and went 4 for 5 with an ace and five digs.

"Every time she comes in she's a spark for the team," Prince said. "She's fired up, she's ready, she makes smart plays. She serves well, she digs amazing and tonight her hitting was on fire. That's just Teisa Fotu for you."

Ultimately, Hawai'i out-hit (.327-.045), out-dug (48-29) and out-blocked (14-12) SMU. Erazmus had little to do with the deficiencies. She came in averaging less than an assist a game and set the same offense Mihm left behind, doing the best she could with poor passing. She also matched her career total with three blocks.

NOTES

Prime time: Reno's local cable station aired the full, unedited version of last Saturday's Hawai'i-Nevada match at 8 p.m. Thursday. The Wolf Pack still lost in five.

So long: The Rainbow Wahine have won all 11 meetings against SMU, which is leaving for Conference USA next season. Mustang coach Lisa Seifert is already negotiating with UH to come back for a preseason tournament soon.

How high? Yesterday's high temperature was 48 and the chill is expected to dip lower over the weekend, with lows into single digits. Dave Shoji wore a leather jacket the entire match yesterday.

Locals only: SMU freshman Rachel Giubilato grew up in San Diego. Her parents, Jim and Tina Villa-Giubilato, were both Wai'anae graduates.

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Fresno State coach Lindy Vivas, 1975 Punahou graduate, on bringing Hawai'i players such as Tuli Peters (Kahuku), Mounia Nihipali (Kamehameha) and La'akea Campbell (Iolani) into her program:

"They always bring intensity, whether you can see it or not. They are always in it. They have a toughness about them, a little swagger. It's fun."