Both teams started four underclassmen. The afternoon match was watched by 1,127 at Bronco Gym.

It has been nearly six years since UH lost to a conference opponent. Boise (16-8, 5-5), which was swept in Hawai'i three weeks ago, threw a scare in the 'Bows early.

UH associate coach Charlie Wade, head coach on this trip because Dave Shoji stayed home to be with his sick father, characterized the WAC streak as a major accomplishment against anyone, but more so since the WAC has toughened up.

"This is a much more significant accomplishment lately," Wade said. "For us to lose seven seniors, and all these (WAC) teams to be better, it shows a lot of work.

"We haven't just mailed it in one night. On a night like tonight when things were going poorly, they just dug down and righted the ship. ... There have been a lot of situations where the team could have folded, but they have a lot of pride and they try to prove it every night."

They proved it again yesterday by out-blocking and out-hitting BSU. Victoria Prince was in on eight of UH's 13 stuffs and also anchored the offense with 20 kills and .412 hitting.

But the offense was only effective when the 'Bows passed well enough to get her the ball. That didn't happen early.

The Broncos aced Hawai'i a season-high 10 times. Wade had to replace freshman Tara Hittle — who hit .600 with 10 kills — with Teisa Fotu in the third game to solidify serve-receive. He also brought in middle blocker Juliana Sanders for Kari Gregory in the second game to bolster the offense.

"Right when Juliana got in she pounded one straight down," Wade said. "It really got their attention and held their blockers ... softened their defense a little."

Hawai'i needed it all when it faced game point in the second. A Boise hitting error erased that, and the 'Bows would not trail again, with Ashley Watanabe contributing a series of timely digs. It finally ended on Hawai'i's third serve for the game, with Sanders getting the kill.

The success helped settle Hawai'i's passing and blocking. It pulled ahead 19-12 in Game 3 and never let the Broncos back in. Prince's blocking, hitting and serving helped UH to an 8-3 advantage in the final game. That grew to 20-13 before BSU closed its deficit to 25-23. But Prince's 20th kill ended it soon after, and tied her career high. It came in front of nine members of her family, who drove eight hours from Washington to watch.

Prince's mother, Brenda, came to Hawai'i to see the sweep of 14th-ranked Cal last month. This match was harder to watch.

"To see them struggle really bothered me," Brenda Prince said. "But they all seem to play really good under pressure for some reason. In the fourth game, they kept turning it up."

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