RENO, Nev. — All the aspects of the game 12th-ranked Hawai'i has focused on improving in this erratic volleyball season were on display last night in the first round of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament, not the least of which was focus.

The top-seeded Rainbow Wahine (24-5) swept eighth-seeded Fresno State (6-24), 30-16, 30-17, 30-25, in the opening day's closing match. It was Hawai'i's 19th consecutive win in this tournament and 11th in a row this season. It lasted just 65 minutes — a tournament record — in front of 523 fans, nearly all in Rainbow green.

The 'Bows play fifth-seeded San Jose State in one semifinal tonight at Lawlor Events Center, with second-seeded New Mexico State taking on third-seeded Idaho in the other.

UH coach Dave Shoji said before the tournament started he simply wanted his players to concentrate on each day and each moment, which has been as much of a problem this season as passing and all the team's injuries.

He got that last night, even into the competitive third game when Fresno State save its best for last and forced the 'Bows to close. Hawai'i scored 10 of the last 12 points, with Kari Gregory serving seven.

"We needed to play well tonight because we've been struggling," Shoji said. "We didn't play well at Idaho or Boise (last week). I felt like it was a real important match for us to come out and play well, play spirited, be more mistake-free than we've been. And all that was going on in the first two games.

"We need that not only for this tournament but for the NCAA Tournament. I thought it was really important for us to play well tonight."

Hawai'i did, with newly crowned three-time WAC Player of the Year Kanoe Kamana'o executing an attack that hit .318, and helping the 'Bows out-dig (57-46) and out-block (14-5 1/2) the Bulldogs, who hit just .021.

UH's Jamie Houston buried three of her match-high 16 kills inside the 10-foot line and blasted four in the closing surge.

Senior Sarah Mason was everywhere, with 15 kills, .433 hitting and a team-high 14 digs.

Gregory stuffed nine balls, served a bunch of points, cranked up her offense with a second-game streak and even got the first yellow (warning) card of her career. In a rare show of anger, Gregory gave Fresno's Alisha McKee a light shove after McKee fell on Hawai'i's side of the court, and told her to "stay under control."

Mason joked that Gregory "showed her street side," but after losing three teammates to season-ending injuries, both knew what was at stake.

"(McKee) came under the net a little more than I thought she should have," Gregory said. "I'm not saying she did it on purpose but it scared me. Our team has had some bad luck with injuries this year. That's the last thing we want to happen is someone to come under the net and hurt you. I got emotional.

"We've had so many players go down. At the WAC Banquet last night they showed pictures of Jessica (Keefe) and Tara (Hittle) and Nickie (Thomas) and it's hard to see that."

Before the final game started, Shoji had played everybody. Walk-on Caroline Blood dropped aloha ball to end Game 2 and is now 6 for 6 this season.

The Rainbow Wahine roamed and seemingly owned the net. Gregory stuffed five balls in the first game, while outside hitters Mason (8 kills), Houston (5) and Amber Kaufman (3) hit a combined .519. In contrast, the Bulldogs — now 0 for 30 against Hawai'i — hit negative .021. The 'Bows seemed to take particular delight in roofing McKee, who finished with six kills and 11 errors.

"We kind of got them mad a little bit in the first game," Gregory said. "Their go-to players started to get down and our go-to players were hitting the ball real well. We are fired up for the tournament and the postseason and it had to start now."

The Bulldogs sank deeper into negative numbers in Game 2, while Gregory got offensive with six kills in eight swings.

Fresno State, sobered by its sad statistics the first two games, fought back in Game 3 behind go-for-broke serving. It only forced Hawai'i to finish in style.

"We wanted to make them play well to beat us," said FSU coach Ruben Nieves. "We think they had to play well down the stretch to beat us. I think Houston decided 'OK, I need to step things up.' We feel good about making her push into that gear and put the team on her shoulders."

NOTES

Saint Francis senior Kylie Harrington, a 5-foot-9 outside hitter, signed a letter of intent to play for Nevada in the fall. "She is an explosive and dynamic player with ball control and a great jump," Pack coach Devin Scruggs said.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.