Stanford showed there is one way to locate volleyball fortune: Keep digging.

The seventh-ranked Cardinal relied on an active defense to control Hawai'i and then the match for a 30-27, 30-21, 30-26 victory last night in the Stan Sheriff Center.

"They made a lot of (defensive) plays that are usually kills," UH left-side hitter Sean Carney said. "One-on-one going up, and then ripping the ball ... and they still made the play. They're a very scrappy team."

Stanford's success is rooted in Hawai'i's beaches. Setter Kawika Shoji, opposite attacker Spencer McLachlin, outside hitter Brad Lawson and libero Erik Shoji all have Hawai'i social security numbers. They combined for 53 of Stanford's 61 digs last night.

"That's the Hawai'i mentality," said McLachlin, a Punahou School graduate. "That's what Hawai'i volleyball is known for — good defense and never letting the ball hit the floor. We brought that up to Stanford."

Kawika Shoji, an 'Iolani School alumnus, said: "It starts when you're young. It's the way we played growing up in club. Every one on this island takes pride in their defense. That's something we transferred over to our school."

Erik Shoji had a match-high 24 digs, and he passed 25 serves without an error. McLachlin used his long reach to keep alive tipped blocks and angle shots.

"They're all beach players," said Carney, an 'Iolani alumnus. "You become scrappy by playing beach, and playing different positions, and having to dig. Back in high school, playing these kids, it's the same story. You can be tall or short. If you're from Hawai'i, you want to get the ball up. If you don't, you're not going to win."

After losing in three sets to Stanford on Thursday, the Warriors again revised their lineup, going with more ball-control players. Gus Tuaniga opened at left-side hitter in place of Josh Walker, and Jim Clar replaced Brennon Dyer at opposite. Carney, a natural setter, started his second consecutive match at outside hitter.

But even though the Warriors passed accurately, Stanford's defense narrowed the court. In the first two sets, minus Stanford's service errors, the Warriors sided out 54 percent of the time (29 of 54). For the match, their sideout success was 59 percent (47 of 80).

"It's been an issue all season long," Wilton said. "We feel the team that's going to win is the team that sides outs the best, and we haven't."

Part of the problem was Erik Shoji, who was in the path of nearly every UH spike.

"He's been the most consistent player on our team the whole year," Kawika Shoji said of his younger brother. "He continues to amaze everyone."

A greater concern, for the Warriors, is hitting accurately. They connected on 16 percent of their kill attempts last night. Carney and Tuaniga each had nine kills, but they committed six and seven errors, respectively. Clar had one kill and three errors in seven swings.

That led to to a lineup change in which Steven Grgas, who started in the middle in the first set, moved to opposite attacker for the second and third sets. Grgas buried a team-high 10 kills.

"We've had a problem with the opposite position," Wilton said. "I don't know if we're on to something with Grgas. He did a lot of good things."

In fall training, Grgas begged for the chance to play opposite.

This time, Grgas said, "I didn't say anything. It came to (the coaches') attention. They mentioned it, and I said I wanted to try it, and they gave me a shot."

Grgas even came up with five digs.

"That's what I've been working on the most," Grgas said. "If I can prove my passing is OK, I can stay there."

Grgas also worked well with Nejc Zemljak, who made his second start at setter.

"I've never practiced (as an opposite) with Nejc ever," Grgas said. "It must have been tough for him to read my height, my swing, everything. It was a circle game. We have to figure out the routine."