Aneli Cubi-Otineru tied a school record with 15 consecutive serves as the 13th-ranked University of Hawai'i held off the pesky Louisiana Tech Techsters, 23-30, 30-12, 30-19, 30-25, in Western Athletic Conference volleyball in Ruston, La., yesterday.

Otineru served the final 15 points in Game 2 to tie a school record set by Karolyn Kootnekoff, and break the rally-scoring record of 14 reached by Lily Kahumoku and current Rainbow Wahine Raeceen Woolford.

The Rainbow Wahine (9-3, 4-0 WAC) have won six in a row going into tomorrow's showdown at 25th-ranked New Mexico State. They have won all 10 matches in the LaTech series, but last night was the first time the Techsters took a game. They did it by stuffing Hawai'i into .080 hitting in Game 1, collecting eight of their 14 blocks at Lambright Intramural Center.

"Louisiana Tech is pretty feisty and competitive," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "They dug a ton of balls in Game 1. We couldn't put a ball down and we hit some out. We struggled, but we came back nicely."

The 'Bows began their first road match by outscoring LaTech 10-5. The Techsters went on a 17-9 run and Hawai'i never got within two again.

The Rainbows bounced back, scoring 16 consecutive points in Game 2, when Otineru reeled off her string.

When it was over, Hawai'i led 28-11. The 12 points scored by LaTech in the game was the lowest total by a UH opponent since it held the Techsters to 11 two years ago.

The 'Bows scored 10 straight with Stephanie Brandt serving to run away in Game 3. Louisi-ana Tech had no more lapses, hanging tough in a fourth game that was tied 15 times. The last came at 23. Two hitting errors by La-Tech and five consecutive kills by Jamie Houston ended it.

"At the end we separated because of Jamie," Shoji said. "We went to her, she was matched up on their setter, and she just got hot at the right time."

Houston finished with a match-high 22 kills, though she and Otineru (15 kills and 15 digs), both left-side hitters, again hit for a low percentage, as did right-side Tara Hittle. Middle blocker Juliana Sanders (9 for 10, .400) was the only Hawai'i hitter over .229, as the team hit .187. Freshman libero Liz Ka'aihue had a match-high 23 digs.

The Techsters (5-11, 0-3) have lost their last seven. In contrast, UH will see a team on a roll tomorrow. New Mexico State (11-2, 3-0 WAC) has lost only to top-ranked Nebraska and sixth-ranked Texas. Two players who weren't on the floor last year — Texas A&M transfer Lindsey Yon and sophomore Krista Altermatt, have been named WAC Player of the Week this season.

"I have no doubt we'll play better Saturday," Shoji said. "Tonight was our first road game and we were kinda finding our way here. Once we settle down, we'll be OK."

NOTES

The match was played in Lambright Intramural Center because Thomas Assembly Center is getting a new volleyball/basketball court, thanks to a $300,000 donation from former NBA MVP, and LaTech alum, Karl Malone. He also donated $50,000 to the volleyball program, "to recognize achievement in spite of tight budgets." Malone, whose daughter played basketball at Louisiana Tech, was hired as the school's director of basketball promotion and assistant strength and conditioning coach in May. Thomas Assembly Center opened in 1982, his freshman year.