One more day and the seventh-ranked Rainbow Wahine will finally get to see how good they are against volleyball players they don't recognize.

Hawai'i will open against Western Michigan tomorrow night with a familiar look in the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational. Setter Dani Mafua, middle Amber Kaufman and hitters Kanani Danielson and Aneli Cubi-Otineru will be back in the starting lineup. Liz Ka'aihue returns at libero after a year's absence.

Sophomore Stephanie Ferrell has come back from a broken ankle to seize the spot opposite the setter vacated by the graduation of All-American Jamie Houston. And redshirt freshman Brittany Hewitt has solved the most compelling mystery of two-a-days by gaining a small edge over Alexis Forsyth opposite Kaufman.

Sophomore transfers Corinne Cascioppo (kah-SHOW-po) and Forsyth, and Kristiana Tuaniga (too-ah-NEEN-gah), the 'Bows' only freshman recruit, were the wild cards coming into the season. They remain a vivid part of the picture, even with Tuaniga now redshirting.

Forsyth, Hawai'i's tallest player at 6 feet 4, played for Houston Baptist last season after making "some poor decisions in high school that affected me in a negative way." In contrast, her experience at HBU "affected me positively and I went back to the original game plan, which was to be in Hawai'i. I basically got back on my feet."

Her transition has included a skills makeover to simplify her movements and a new Division I volleyball world full of expectations. "We know what we want here, we have goals ...," said Forsyth, an all-California Interscholastic Federation selection in high school. "There are expectations here and they need to be fulfilled.

"This is not a program where you come in thinking I can give my best when it's needed. No, you want to give your best all the time because that's the energy on the court."

UH coach Dave Shoji says Forsyth will have chances to get out there, where she hit .339 last year and averaged two kills and 0.74 blocks. So will Cascioppo, who played with Forsyth on Southern California's 951 Elite team.

The 6-3 hitter was "overwhelmed" by DI offers early in the recruiting process and made a verbal commitment to another school. That all changed after "a bunch of things happened in my life" her senior year, including a move from Northern to Southern California. Volleyball dropped off her radar, but after a club coach recommended Hawai'i the game came back into her life.

"I wanted to be the best volleyball player I could be again, in the world," said Cascioppo, an all-tournament player at the 2007 Junior Olympics. "I changed my mind about going to college, started stepping it up. I had to go a different route, but I got here finally."

She averaged three kills for Division II Mesa State (Colo.) last season, then found her way back to the 'Bows and has been trying to soak up all the knowledge the five seniors — particularly Cubi-Otineru — have to offer ever since.

"Both Corinne and Lex will see action," Shoji said. "Both are still learning, improving every day. We have to pick opportunities for them to get on the court. I'm pretty sure they're going to contribute at some point."

Tuaniga's contribution will come in the future. She calls UH men's player Gus Tuaniga cousin because they are so close in age, but he is actually her nephew — and played for Shoji's brother Tom in San Diego. Tuaniga was ranked 37th among prepvolleyball.com's Senior Aces, despite playing the game just three years. She hit .647 as as senior at Carson (Calif.) High, averaging four kills and three blocks.

Her progress has been remarkable — on the Mainland and since she landed in Manoa, at a school she chose because of its volleyball tradition, fan base and her Polynesian heritage (she has family on O'ahu beyond her nephew). Coaches expect her to be a major player in the future. This season, she will probably focus more on making others better.

"I'll just give them what I can," Tuaniga said. "Work my butt off for them and make them proud, and my family, too."

NOTES

Freshman Kristina Kam, a freshman libero out of Punahou, will also redshirt this season, according to Shoji, who said there could be others.

Fans who purchase eight gallons or more of Chevron gas at a participating station through Saturday can present their receipt for a free adult ticket to Hawai'i's match against Santa Clara Saturday, when they buy one adult ticket at the Stan Sheriff Center box office. Limited to two tickets per person while supplies last. Seats are in special sections.