Now the tough part comes for a Hawai'i volleyball team that played half its first 10 matches against top-five teams.

The ninth-ranked Rainbow Wahine (5-5) have to get better against competition that will get worse. They open the Western Athletic Conference season tomorrow against Boise State (4-3), then get one more WAC distraction when Loyola Marymount comes in for a non-conference series.

The Lions (10-1) are receiving votes in the Top 25 as is Nevada, which upset then-No. 21 California on Friday. Other than the Wolf Pack, last year's WAC runner-up, Hawai'i doesn't have a hope of playing a ranked team until December.

"It's not the same," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "We're going to have tough situations in the WAC but not like Washington where the talent on the other side is better than us and we're having to battle."

The most promising aspect of getting swept twice by the second-ranked Huskies last week was the 'Bows' ability to stay with them for most of three games, despite hitting 7 percent on the outside. The most disheartening aspect was Hawai'i's inability to finish.

"I think we were just hyper-tense," said sophomore Tara Hittle, who played front row Saturday for the first time since injuring her ankle in August. "We were like, 'We only need a couple more to win the game, let's just keep it in play.' If you look at what they're doing, they've got their backs up against the wall, we're ahead and they're banging, hitting. That's obviously what it takes. It's what we need to be doing."

It hasn't happened against the top-five opposition that has given UH all its losses. Now the Rainbows have to find it within themselves to improve against weaker opposition.

They have relentlessly hammered WAC opponents since Brigham Young took off after the 1998 season, winning their last 106 against conference opponents. Last year, only Nevada truly made it a match, taking them to five twice.

To improve as much as Hawai'i needs by the time the NCAA Tournament comes will take as much intestinal fortitude as physical aptitude, maybe more. Shoji promises much more "intense" practices that "need to be harder than games" at this point.

"The most disappointing thing is, we know we can play with anybody," Shoji said. "It's how to get to where we can do it and that's just up to each individual to make some plays. We didn't make any plays down the stretch in Games 1 and 3 Saturday and they made every play.

"I have to coach that. I have to get the team up to where they are able to do that. That's definitely my job as a coach. Whenever you have a deficiency you have to understand that that is something the coach has allowed to happen. I expect to be able to correct it."

He's not so sure if he will decide on a lineup anytime soon. Shoji says all three hitting positions are still up for grabs as is the middle blocking position opposite Victoria Prince.

Hittle and Sarah Mason, who injured their ankles in August, were on the left at the end Saturday. Shoji said both are still bothered by what turned out to be "severe" sprains. Their vertical jumps were tested this week; both had lost 5 inches.

But the team's health is as good as it has been all season and probably won't improve. Shoji wants to find a rhythm in the next few weeks and make the best of it. He still believes his team is good enough.

"I think our players understand we can be good and they are good," he said. "But they are just not good enough yet. It gives us incentive to get there."

Boise State is led by senior Telia Peterson, junior Cameron Flunder and freshman Jeanette Jenkins, who are all averaging at least three kills a game. But only Flunder is hitting over .200. The Broncos' highlight so far is a four-game victory over Texas Tech — one of two opponents they have played with a rating in the top 130.

Loyola Marymount's only loss came against Sacramento State. Punahou graduate Michelle Look, who started on the outside as an LMU freshman, is now thriving as a senior libero.

Sophomore Christianna Reneau, who led Fresno State in kills last year as a freshman, earned tournament MVP honors in her LMU debut. Senior Dina DeBernardi earned the same honor last week. LMU's setter is freshman K.C. Walsh, sister of Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist Kerri Walsh.

The Lions have been to the NCAA Tournament eight times since 1994, including the past two years.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.