For the University of Hawai'i, there is something more difficult than playing the nation's top-ranked volleyball team tomorrow night.

There is the prospect that Pepperdine has not played at its best yet.

"We're playing well enough to win some matches, but we're not meeting some of the standards that we will have to meet at the end of the year," said Pepperdine coach Marv Dunphy, whose team is 14-1 overall and 11-1 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

The Waves have three accurate passers (libero Tanner Sutherland and left-side hitters J.D. Schleppenbach and 'Iolani alum Jon Grobe), the league's tallest setter (6-8 Jonathan Winder) and a thrill-and-kill maker (opposite attacker Paul Carroll).

In the MPSF, the goal is not necessarily to win the regular-season title but to improve incrementally leading to the eight-team playoffs. The MPSF regular-season champion does not receive an automatic berth in the NCAA final four, as it did a few years ago.

Until now, the Waves, with a tradition of balanced offenses, have relied heavily on Carroll, who has taken 283 more swings than any other teammate.

"We're kind of a one-man team," Dunphy said of 6-foot-7 Carroll. "He's carried a big load for us all year long. It's no secret."

Carroll is a threat from the right side, where he is aligned on five of six rotations, or behind the service line. He is averaging 5.94 kills per game. He also uses a fast-breaking serve to produce 37 aces.

"It's a really tough serve," UH coach Mike Wilton said.

Carroll, who was raised in Australia, made it known he wanted to pursue a college degree. UH had tried to him.

"Unfortunately for us, he opted for Pepperdine," Wilton said.

Before enrolling at Pepperdine in August 2005, Carroll suffered a broken ankle while training with Australia's national team.

"He didn't have the fall (of 2005) to practice," Dunphy said. "We had to nurse him through the season. He's been able to practice and train with us this year. It's been good for us and good for him. He's better, and as a result, he's helping us."

Winder also is healthy after missing three weeks because of a cracked tibia.

Because of Winder's height, the Waves can get away with high passes.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.