In this roller-coaster ride of a volleyball season, it should be no surprise that every team's worst nightmare has created a weird serenity at the University of Hawai'i.

At the end of last season, Rainbow Wahine coach Dave Shoji blamed himself for not being more decisive about his lineup. After two devastating injuries this season, there is little margin for indecision ... or error.

The 'Bows' lineup is basically locked in after losing starters Tara Hittle and Nickie Thomas for the year to injuries. UH's vaunted depth is hobbling on crutches.

The 'Bows can still throw out a wrinkle on the right side and some creative ballhandling with defensive specialists Jayme Lee, Raeceen Woolford and Elise Duggins, but don't expect any radically new looks.

"Our lineup has been changing and now we have a set lineup and set passing rotation," Shoji said. "There are not a lot of options anymore. Maybe that's a good thing. Sometimes everyone gets locked into spots and has to play well. There's no other way. You are out there for the duration."

It worked two years ago, when the Rainbow Wahine won their first 30 with the same lineup, and an awful lot of good karma.

This team is 6-4 going into Saturday's Western Athletic Conference opener against Fresno State. At No. 15 in the CSTV/AVCA Coaches Top 25, Hawai'i has its lowest ranking in nearly nine years.

Last year's team was 5-5 against a similar schedule (seven ranked opponents the first 10 matches) and ranked ninth. It was banged up — Hittle and Sarah Mason missed most of the non-conference season — but not beyond recognition.

This team will never look the same without Hittle and Thomas. It will have to find another way to win, which is precisely what it did in Friday's comeback against Cal Poly, now ranked 21st.

It was not pretty. Even Shoji admits his team is "still making some pretty gross errors." But it was cathartic, at least for now. The Rainbow Wahine desperately needed something good to happen in a week that was very tough on the team and harder yet for Hittle and Thomas.

Hittle announced she would no longer play last Tuesday. Two days later, Hawai'i could not convert four match points in a crushing and controversial five-game loss to Cal Poly. The 'Bows were three points from a three-match skid Friday, then lost Thomas for good Monday.

Shoji believes Friday's comeback might have saved the season.

"We have some confidence going now," he said. "We all feel good about coming back the other night. Sometimes one match in a season can turn things around, whether it's attitude- or recordwise.

"We said early that when we beat Pepperdine it was a really good sign, but that was too early. This has more significance. Having lost four matches already ... this could propel us to a better season than anybody thought we could have."

Now the Rainbow Wahine have to prove themselves in the WAC, where they have won their last 125. The conference has brought comfort before. Maybe too much.

The season starts again now, with Hawai'i's lineup written in indelible ink and its psyche much less fragile than it was at about 9 p.m. last Friday.

"If you take take two starters away from any team in the country it will not be as good a team," Shoji said. "But on our team we've got middle blockers that have played a lot in Kari (Gregory) and Juliana (Sanders) so that's not a big adjustment. And Sarah (Mason) and Jamie (Houston) played a lot last year on the left. So I think we'll be OK."

WONG ADDED TO STAFF AS VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT

Punahou and Pepperdine graduate Scott Wong was officially named a volunteer assistant for Hawai'i Tuesday. Wong, whose brother Kevin played beach volleyball at the Olympics, assisted Pepperdine's men's team the last two years.

Scott Wong played for the Waves from 1998 to 2001. He was a three-time All-American and the 1999 AVCA national Freshman of the Year. He went to the national team after graduation and has been playing the pro beach tour since.

Wong also coached the Oaks Christian High School girls team in California and got his master's in education at Loyola Marymount.

"I want to coach," said Wong, who is training for the next beach season while he is home. "I'm doing what I want to do now. I hope I learn as much as I can help. ... I just want to be part of this program and see what I can contribute."

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.