On the day after, New Mexico State's Amber Simpson was Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week, Hawai'i fell three spots, to ninth, in the AVCA Top 25 and there was no need for a wake-up call for yesterday's hastily organized 6:30 a.m. volleyball practice.

The call had come 12 hours earlier from the Aggies, when they swept the Rainbow Wahine, bolted into a first-place tie atop the WAC standings and left Hawai'i wondering what hit it, and why it didn't hit back.

"I was boiling since the last ball hit the ground," UH senior Nickie Thomas said. "I didn't get any sleep last night. I laid awake thinking about the game and all the stuff I could have done better or should have.

"Everybody didn't play well. I didn't play well. It's one of those things. They are a good team, they fought hard and came well prepared. We probably could have done a better job with that."

As much as they hated it, the Rainbows (13-3, 6-1 WAC) realized their sixth WAC loss — in history — was what they deserved, and probably needed. Thomas called it a "humbling experience" and Jessica Keefe, another senior, spoke of having to "seize the moment" every match because "we're not playing for today. Ultimately, we're playing to get better so we are a legitimate volleyball competitor."

The 'Bows looked more than legit two weeks ago when they swept New Mexico State in Las Cruces for their 10th consecutive win. Now, if both teams win out, the WAC Tournament tiebreaker to decide the top seed is a comparison of the teams' winning percentage against the "next-highest finishing team."

Today, that is Idaho — the only other WAC team to take a set off UH. NMSU (11-7, 6-1) has swept the rest of its WAC competition so has that one-set advantage as the teams head into the second half of the season. The WAC Tournament will be at Stan Sheriff Center, Nov. 20 to 23.

Idaho and Utah State are the only other teams above .500 in the conference. Coincidentally, the Rainbow Wahine take off tonight for Logan, Utah, and play those Aggies Thursday (3 p.m. HST); New Mexico State hosts Idaho at the same time. Hawai'i concludes its second road trip at Nevada Saturday (4 p.m.).

The last time UH and Utah State played, the Aggies swept the host 'Bows. They were the first WAC team in history to win in Hawai'i and to sweep UH. New Mexico State just became the second.

UH coach Dave Shoji knows it can happen again. "If you look at the WAC teams they all have ways to beat us," Shoji said after Sunday's loss. "We have to prepare the team not to let that happen. I think sometimes everybody assumes we're going to win and that kind of attitude gets you beat."

Hawai'i's WAC record since joining the conference in 1996 is 207-6. New Mexico State is now 50-13 in its three-plus seasons. Coach Mike Jordan believes Sunday's win — NMSU's first in history over a top-10 opponent — put his team back in the NCAA tournament.

"Absolutely," Jordan said. "We've still got business to take care of. You've got to remain injury-free, first of all. But we don't have a bad loss. Our seven losses are to six teams in the top 20 and four in the top 10. I think that really toughened us up. Sure the committee looks at great wins like this, but they've also got to look at who we lost to and we haven't lost to anybody not in the NCAA tournament yet.

"If we tie with Hawai'i for the title and play well at the WAC tournament, I'd be beside myself if we're not in the NCAA tournament."