After watching ninth-ranked Washington take Pacific apart in the opening volleyball match of the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational, 10th-ranked Hawai'i found its rhythm at the end of the opening set and cruised to a 25-22, 25-16, 25-8 win over Saint Mary's (Calif.) tonight.

Before 3,706 at Stan Sheriff Center, the Rainbow Wahine (5-2) started slow and ultimately ran SMC into the ground, when they weren't hitting over the smaller Gaels (5-1). Saint Mary's started all three of its Hawai'i players — 'Iolani graduates Megan Burton and Kapua Kamana'o and freshman Chanteal Satele out of Word of Life.

The 'Bows were again led by freshman Kanani Herring, who had the third double-double of her young career (11 kills, 12 digs). Hawai'i out-hit the Gaels .366 to .105 and, after a slow start, out-blocked them 9-1.

Washington swept its sixth straight opponent, defeating Pacific 25-13, 25-11, 25-13, earlier. The Huskies (6-0) were led by Jill Collymore, who had 13 kills without an error, hitting .565. UW hit .525 as a team, to UOP's .119. Collymore and Jenna Hagglund each had three aces.

The Tigers, coached by former UH assistant Charlie Wade, play Hawai'i tomorrow at 7 p.m.. They are winless in their first six matches, with half the losses coming against ranked teams. UOP got a team-high 11 kills from Mallori Gibson.

The Rainbow Wahine played with little urgency in the opening set, which was tied 10 times. They let a 17-14 get away with a series of unforced errors, but after falling behind, 22-20, suddenly rallied.

Herring ripped two kills to tie it, then dropped in with Nickie Thomas to stuff Shannon Lowell, who had an error-free eight kills up to that point.

Stephanie Brandt, subbed in to serve and then set, fired up an ace after a Saint Mary's timeout. After one of many long rallies, Herring's sixth kill ended it.

The Gaels never really recovered. The 'Bows found their block, and every one of their hitters seemed to find a smaller Saint Mary's player to go over.

They took off on a 16-5 surge in the second set that put them ahead, 19-9. Hawai'i hit .394 in the set, stuffed four balls and dug 16 more.

In the middle, the Gaels hit zero with Lowell and Burton each nullifying two kills and with as many errors. Thomas and Amber Kaufman also had two kills apiece without any errors and went into the third set hitting a combined .600.

That rose in the third set, with UH substituting liberally and never losing its rhythm. Hawai'i went on a 10-1 run to take control early at 12-3 and the Gaels did not get within 10 again.