The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team concluded its Western Athletic Conference regular season with a sweep of Fresno State in Fresno, Calif., last night.

The sixth-ranked Rainbow Wahine beat the Bulldogs, 25-9, 25-16, 25-17, to complete their road schedule at 8-0. Hawai'i has won all 44 meetings with the Bulldogs.

"I think we played about as good as we needed to play," Hawai'i coach Dave Shoji said. "We played very efficiently and I'm just really happy with the way we finished the regular WAC season."

Hawai'i (22-3, 15-1 WAC) is guaranteed at least a share of the WAC regular-season title.

"It was a nice way to end the road trip," Shoji said. "It was a long, tough trip, and we played pretty well throughout the whole trip, but especially tonight."

Hawai'i out-hit Fresno State, .405 to .053, and was led by freshman outside hitter Stephanie Ferrell's 11 kills off the bench. It was the fifth time in the last six matches that the Rainbow Wahine hit better than .350.

"We're hitting for a very high percentage, mainly because we're not hitting the ball out," Shoji said. "We're keeping the ball in play and just hitting smart. It's been mistake-free for the most part.

"We'll have to play at a higher level during the WAC Tournament, and to finish up the year and in the NCAAs, and I think we will. I think we're playing at a high level now, but we'll need to step it up as well."

Senior outside hitter Jamie Houston contributed nine kills, and Hawai'i middles Amber Kaufman and Nickie Thomas had six and five kills respectively, with no hitting errors.

"Any time you have a middle attack that hits for a high percentage, you have to stay with your middles, which really opens up the outsides," Shoji said. "It works both ways. If the middles are on, it helps the outsides. If the outsides are on, the middles are open. They just complement each other."

Hawai'i prevented the Bulldogs (6-17, 3-11) from getting to double digits in the first set, holding Fresno State to a negative-.167 hitting percentage while hitting .667, including no hitting errors. Houston led the Rainbow Wahine with five kills while freshman outside hitter Kanani Danielson added four.

The Rainbow Wahine again took control of the second set, jumping ahead to a 17-7 lead on a double block by Houston and Kaufman. Hawai'i maintained that margin, winning the set on a Bulldogs hitting error.

Ferrell led the squad with nine kills in the third set as Hawai'i led from the start. The Bulldogs managed to get within 23-17 on a kill by freshman outside hitter Baylee Platt, but Ferrell gave UH its 24th point and a hitting error by Platt ended the match.

"Stephanie just gives us a real lift when she comes in," Shoji. "(Setter Dani Mafua) likes to set her and she piles up a lot of kills. It's something we're going to need. She makes things happen when she comes in the game."

Hawai'i and New Mexico State are atop the WAC with one loss apiece to each other, both sweeps. The Aggies host Utah State and San Jose State later this week. Should Hawai'i and New Mexico State end with 15-1 WAC records and Idaho finishes in third place, New Mexico State receives the top seed because of its set record against the Vandals this season (NMSU went 6-0 vs. Idaho, while UH was 6-1).

The Rainbow Wahine play Utah Valley State at home this Saturday before hosting the WAC Tournament Nov. 20, 21 and 23 at the Stan Sheriff Center.