LOS ANGELES — There have been many more good times than bad the last two-plus years of Rainbow Wahine volleyball. But, the two worst times terminated seasons.

As third-ranked Hawai'i prepares to open the NCAA Championship here tomorrow against New Mexico, memories of the Middle Tennessee and Stanford debacles remain vivid. Particularly for seniors so driven to leave on a good note.

In Aneli Cubi-Otineru's first year back in Hawai'i, the barely-heard-of Blue Raiders from Murfreesboro, Tenn., blew away the 'Bows in a second-round match at Louisville. It is the only time the last decade Hawai'i has not advanced to regionals.

"For three-quarters of this match we were flawless," MT coach Matt Peck said then. "I still think — and I'm hoping this happens next weekend — teams just don't know anything about us. That's hugely to our advantage."

His team lost its next match.

Last year, in a regional final at frigid Fort Collins, Colo., Stanford stuffed a Rainbow Wahine team that looked like it had just been introduced — to each other and the game.

Then-senior Tara Hittle was mystified as her career came to a shockingly abrupt end, just a week after UH played so brilliantly in this same city at this same point in the season.

"It was just weird," Hittle said. "We felt like we couldn't get out of it. Then it got to a point where it was so out of hand."

Amber Kaufman, a senior now, compares the final-match failures to the other sport where she hovers near the top nationally.

She was second in NCAA high jump last season and mused a few months ago, "One thing about high jump is you never end on a high note. You always end on three misses."

"In volleyball," she went on, "we haven't played well in the last match. If we can do that, even if we lose, I can live with it."

The 'Bows' focus going into an NCAA Tournament made abnormally difficult by their No. 12 seed is on much more than winning. UH (28-2) doesn't want to crash and burn again.

If it goes down, ending a winning streak that is now 24, this time it wants to at least be fighting.

This team has not been as streaky as the last two. That is due in large part to the five seniors. Stephanie Brandt, Jayme Lee and Catherine Fowler are all capable of giving UH a boost off the bench just as Cubi-Otineru and Kaufman do as starters.

But the only way for this team to prove it can overcome a good opponent and the heat of the moment at this stage of the season is to do it. It might need that surge of skill and utter trust tomorrow at USC's Galen Center to fight off the resurgent Lobos (20-9), who have gone five sets eight times this season.

If the 'Bows get through that, they might need it Saturday against 15th-ranked USC (21-9), which has won its last six, or Oklahoma (18-11), which has lost its last three — against much tougher opponents than the Rainbows have faced the past 12 weeks.

If Hawai'i survives this subregional, there will almost certainly be a time at next week's Stanford Regional that it will have to rely as much on its will as its many weapons. Fifth-seeded Illinois and fourth-seeded Stanford could both be lying in wait.

And if the Rainbow Wahine return to the final four for the first time since 2003, top-seeded Penn State will probably be its semifinal opponent, with a nice, round, NCAA-record 100-match win streak, aching to make history by winning its third consecutive NCAA championship.

What have the Rainbows learned the last two-plus seasons, through 86 wins and two devastating losses?

"I don't know for sure until we play, but I do believe these players have a belief in themselves that they belong on the court with anybody," UH associate coach Kari Ambrozich said. "Deep down inside they believe that. That's big. They are not going in intimidated."

Then again, this year's WAC season could give anyone a false sense of security.

"It's really hard to gauge where we are," UH coach Dave Shoji admits. "I think we're better. We had a great season. The team practices really hard and I think we've gotten better, but there is no way to gauge that because of the competition."

All the Rainbow Wahine know is that it feels different, from the inside out.

"We're close," Cubi-Otineru said. "It's not like a team, it's more family-oriented."

Note: All Hawai'i matches will be broadcast live on ESPN 1420 AM and KFVE. KFVE will also show tomorrow's second match.