Hawai'i's focus on this volleyball trip is to clinch the regular-season Western Athletic Conference title and top seed at the WAC Tournament. But for the 11th-ranked Rainbow Wahine, style points also count at this critical juncture.

The 'Bows (18-4, 12-0 WAC) can claim their 12th regular-season title in 12 years as a WAC member with wins tonight at Nevada and tomorrow at Fresno State. Both matches begin at 4 p.m. Hawai'i time and will be broadcast live on 1420 AM.

The Wolf Pack (13-8, 9-4) has won nine of its last 11, the only glitches a humbling sweep in Hawai'i and an equally painful breakdown at New Mexico State two weeks ago. After stealing two games from the Aggies to force a fifth, the Pack let a 14-9 advantage get away, blowing six swings at match point.

Nevada found some redemption Tuesday, beating Big Sky leader Sacramento State for the first time in the "Hornets' Nest," 16-14 in the fifth. It shares third with Utah State, in the compelling annual battle to avoid playing Hawai'i in the WAC Tournament semifinals.

"We played such a horrible match at Hawai'i but now we're back to doing what we did before that," Nevada coach Devin Scruggs said. "We're just playing harder ... and we've been more balanced for the most part. Our seniors are realizing this is the end, and kicking it up a notch."

Senior Karly Sipherd went for a career-high 29 kills Tuesday, on .490 hitting, and became the second in school history to reach 500 blocks. Freshman Lindsay Baldwin and Sipherd are 1-2 in WAC blocking. Senior Teal Ericson is 11th nationally in kills (4.69).

And still, the Pack got pounded by UH here, with Tara Hittle hitting a career-high .706. Scruggs has not seen a better team.

"The thing that's scariest about them is they are so physical and they've just gotten better," she said. "They're going to get better and better. Yeah they lost at Nebraska, but that's a tough place to play and it was their first real big challenge in a while. I hope we can challenge them."

Nevada's hopes might rest more on Hawai'i than itself. The 'Bows have always struggled to serve at 4,500 feet, and this season concentration has been their nemesis. Scruggs can see that just by looking at statistics, particularly the low hitting percentages outside. Jamie Houston, sixth nationally in kills, finally reached .250; Aneli Cubi-Otineru and Hittle are below .200.

UH coach Dave Shoji believes his team has to hit above .250 (it is now at .226) to have a legitimate shot in the postseason. The 'Bows are acutely aware of their foibles, from cause (poor concentration) to effects (erratic passing, setting and hitting).

Their most popular phrase lately is, "It's all about us." That might never be more true than in the WAC, where they have lost just four times since becoming a member in 1996.

"Every time we play it is about us," Hittle said. "It shouldn't matter who we play. It only matters that we take care of what we need to do. ... We've got to focus in, focus on ourselves. It is all about us. Like (coach) Mike (Sealy) says, 'If you do your job, the game will take care of itself.' You almost don't have to worry about winning and losing."

The Rainbow Wahine are 27-1 against Nevada, the loss coming in the teams' first meeting in 1992 — the one year Hawai'i did not qualify for the postseason.

NOTES

Tryouts for the Imi Ike 16's and 14's will be Sunday at the Farrington High School Gym. The 16's can register at 2:30 p.m. and try out from 3 p.m. to 4:30. Registration for the 14's starts at 4 p.m., with tryouts from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Cost is $10. The coaching staff includes UH associates Kari Ambrozich and Mike Sealy, UH manager Ryan Tsuji and former Rainbow Wahine Aven Lee and Melissa Villaroman. Those trying out need to have their parents sign a risk and release form.

Tuesday's 5.6 earthquake in the San Jose area disrupted a match between Pacific and San Jose State. It was postponed with the Spartans leading 26-25 in Game 2, after the floor started to shake and lights swayed in Spartan Gym. SJSU won the first game. The two head coaches will determine when the match will be resumed.

Hawai'i is averaging an NCAA-best 6,495 fans per match. The crowd of 7,538 that watched UH sweep 13th-ranked New Mexico State last week was the eighth-largest of the season, and the 'Bows' biggest of the year.

This is the Rainbows' 222nd consecutive week in the poll, dating to 1992. They have appeared in 356 of the 360 polls all-time, third in poll appearances, behind Nebraska and Stanford, who have appeared in all 360 polls.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.