LOS ANGELES — Third-ranked Hawai'i is staying a few blocks from where it was last year at this point in the NCAA Volleyball Championship.

New-wave lunch trucks — a sign of tough economic times — surround the streaking Rainbow Wahine, who have won 24 in a row going into today's first-round match against New Mexico. They will play (3 p.m. HST) in USC's Galen Center, where they ended the Trojans' 2008 season with their best performance a year ago.

They hope familiarity breeds success. Downtown L.A., home to high rises and houses with window bars, has somehow become the 'Bows' second home, thanks to the NCAA. They will need some kind of comfort zone after being seeded 12th.

"It's definitely a huge mountain to climb but every step is attainable," insists UH coach Dave Shoji, who calls the Lobos the toughest first-round opponent in his long history. "We've talked about getting to the final four. We haven't done that in a while (2003) so that's our most immediate goal, but there certainly are a lot of obstacles

"I think every game is winnable. Collectively, it looks really hard and it is really hard. We'll have to string together four great matches, just to get to the final four."

Shoji did a strange thing this first week of the postseason, "throwing open every position" after tweaking his lineup twice — because of minor injuries — during the regular season. Practices have been exceptionally spirited. It appears starters have solidified positions.

He knows the postseason is nothing like what has come before. Particularly this postseason. If the Rainbows get past New Mexico, they face the winner of USC-Oklahoma tomorrow at 5 p.m. HST. That winner travels to fourth-seeded Stanford's regional next week.

A look at the subregional teams:

NO. 12 SEED HAWAI'I (28-2)

Numbers: Third-ranked Rainbow Wahine have won their last 24, losing only four sets while going unbeaten in the Western Athletic Conference  missed just one of 29 NCAA Tournaments, winning national titles in 1982, '83 and '87, and an AIAW championship in 1979  sixth straight year they have earned a top 16 seed and are not subregional hosts led country in attendance for 16th straight year reached regionals 10 times in last 11 years  65-23 in NCAA Tournament.

Faces: Kanani Danielson (5-10 So.) was named WAC Player of the Year and joined by Aneli Cubi-Otineru (5-11 Sr.), Amber Kaufman (6-0 Sr.) and Dani Mafua (5-10 Jr.) on all-WAC first team.

Top 50 nationally: Kaufman is fourth nationally in hitting (.451), Cubi-Otineru eighth in aces (0.54), Mafua 11th in assists (11.67), Brittany Hewitt (6-3 Fr.) 19th in blocks (1.33) and Danielson 38th in kills (4.13). As a team, Hawai'i is third in hitting (.324), ninth in aces (1.80), 14th in kills (14.53) and assists (13.47), and 43rd in blocks (2.46).

NEW MEXICO (20-9)

Numbers: Lost just once in last month to finish third in Mountain West swept New Mexico State in October eighth NCAA appearance, but first since 1994 5-7 record in postseason  0-6 against Hawai'i; last meeting in 1998.

Faces: Middle Taylor Hadfield (6-1 Jr.), setter Jade Michaelson (6-0 Jr.) and hitter Rose Morris (6-1 Sr.) are on MWC first team. All five UNM attackers average 2-plus kills, while Ashley Rhoades (5-11 So.) and Anna Lehne (6-1 Sr.) average more than one block.

Top 50 nationally: Team is 45th in blocking (2.43).

SOUTHERN CAL (21-9)

Numbers: 15th-ranked Trojans won last six, including upset of then-No. 4 Washington, to finish fifth in Pac-10 51-6 in Galen Center, which has been subregional site since opening in 2006  have won six national championships (three NCAA) and are 58-22 in NCAA Tournament, reaching final four in five of last nine seasons 16-21 against Hawai'i, 3-4 in postseason  'Bows have ended two of USC's last three seasons.

Faces: Hitters Alex Jupiter (6-3 So.) and Jessica Gysin (6-1 Sr.) were named all-Pac-10, with setter Kendall Bateman (5-11 So.) an honorable mention. Jupiter finished third in conference kills and fourth in aces and 11 of her 15 double-doubles came against ranked teams.

Top 50 nationally: Bateman leads the country in assists (12.51), Jupiter is 11th in kills (4.57) and Lauren Williams (6-4 So.) 32nd in hitting (.359). USC leads country in kills (15.08) and aces (14.20), is 32nd in hitting (.253) and 37th in blocking (2.50).

OKLAHOMA (18-11)

Numbers: Lost last three, including to second-ranked Texas and seventh-ranked Iowa State, to finish in a tie for fourth in Big 12 In other matches against ranked teams, fell in five to 10th-ranked Nebraska and beat 19th-ranked Baylor and 21st-ranked Texas A&M 6-5 in five previous NCAA appearances, including two trips to Sweet 16 (1988 and 2006) 0-2 against Hawai'i, last meeting in 1985.

Faces: Setter Brianne Barker (5-9 So.), who had 22 double-doubles, and middle Francie Ekwerekwu (5-11 Jr.) are all-Big 12 honorable mention, libero Maria Fernanda on all-freshman team. Right side Suzy Boulavsky (6-1 So.) is only Sooner averaging more than three kills (3.07).

Top 50 nationally: Sooners are 16th in digs (17.60).

NOTE

All Hawai'i matches will be broadcast live on ESPN 1420 AM and KFVE. KFVE will also show today's Oklahoma-USC match.