While Rainbow Wahine coach Dave Shoji attempts to become only the second Division I women's volleyball coach with 1,000 wins, his focus is solely on the Aggies.

Hawai'i (15-2, 6-0 WAC) comes in with an 11-match winning streak that includes a four-set victory at Las Cruces two weeks ago. That was the only set it has lost in the streak. A year ago, the Aggies swept UH here and shared the regular-season title.

NMSU (11-6, 6-1) has become the 'Bows' only real rival in a conference that has dropped so far that in the NCAA's first power ranking of 2009, Hawai'i is 25th.

Texas, which gave UH one of its losses, is first. Cal, which gave it the other, is 10th despite six losses.

The Ratings Percentage Index draws a stark contrast between the Pac-10 — traditionally the country's toughest conference — and WAC. Even Stanford, which Hawai'i swept, is 17th. At the other end of the volleyball spectrum, New Mexico State is 55th and Nevada, at No. 131, is the next-highest WAC team.

The Rainbow Wahine can win out through the WAC Tournament and still plummet. Imagine what will happen if they lose.

"If anybody can actually figure it (the RPI) out I'd be very surprised," Shoji said. "Obviously when we play a WAC team our RPI is going to go down. We're going the same direction the rest of the WAC season."

He questions Florida State's No. 2 rating and several others, but refuses to worry about something he can't control, much like the WAC.

"I don't think we have any bad losses and we certainly have significant wins," Shoji said. "That's what they should be going on."

Even beyond Shoji's "grand" quest, tonight's match is probably the most significant left in the regular season, aside from Senior Night. Hawai'i needed a rare performance from sophomore All-American Kanani Danielson to win in New Mexico, when its passing broke down, taking the middle attack with it.

Danielson was flawless and often phenomenal from the middle of the first set in Las Cruces, finishing with 21 kills and hitting .551 the final three sets. In a third set that was tied 12 times, she scored the final four points with three kills over 5-foot-8 NMSU setter Jennah DeVries and a stuff.

"She was impressive," Aggies coach Mike Jordan said. "She hit a couple balls that were really not diggable, she just bounced them."

Recalled UH senior Stephanie Brandt: "Kanani had a rough start and then she realized that we could actually not win this game and just turned it on. She just has so much potential for greatness, it's ridiculous. She's a volleyball player and she's insanely athletic. She's the rare combination of both."

But that was then and there, and this is now, in Stan Sheriff Center. The Rainbows got ripped by the Aggies under similar conditions a year ago, even without the distraction Shoji's milestone march will provide.

Jordan believes his team can concentrate solely on trying to beat Hawai'i, and he has no problem playing on a night sure to be special no matter who wins.

"The thing that strikes me first is I'm excited to see the kind of crowd and support that will be there for Dave and Hawai'i," said Jordan, who is 258-11 in his 12th season at NMSU. "I expect it to be a really good crowd. If I was a volleyball fan, I wouldn't want to miss that. You are not going to see it much more — the days of 1,000-win coaches are going by the wayside. I'm sure I'm not going to live to see it."

Monday, the Rainbow Wahine will play Louisiana Tech (12-10, 2-4) in a match postponed from Wednesday after severe weather kept LaTech on the Mainland.

NOTES

Following the Rainbows' next win, UH Rainbowtique stores will be selling limited edition volleyballs and T-shirts commemorating Shoji's 1,000th victory. Volleyballs ($35) and T-shirts ($15) will be available immediately following Hawai'i's next win at the Stan Sheriff Center kiosks at Gate A, Gate B and the Rainbowtique store. They will also be available at the Ward Centre store, Rainbowtique Downtown and UH Mänoa Bookstore the day after Shoji's 1,000th victory. Shoji will also have an autograph session at one of the Rainbowtique locations. A portion of proceeds from the sales will benefit the Rainbow Wahine volleyball program.

Hawai'i needs a crowd of 7,486 to hit 100,000 in attendance for the season. UH has led the country in attendance since moving into the Stan Sheriff Center in the middle of 1994, when it drew 51,871 for the season. Since 1995, its lowest total for the year was 104,222, in 2001.

Rainbow Wahine are dominant in a few WAC statistics. Amber Kaufman's .445 hitting percentage is nearly 100 points higher than anyone else. Dani Mafua is the only setter averaging double-digit assists (11.62). And Aneli Cubi-Otineru, Kaufman and Stephanie Brandt are 1-2-3 in aces.

Pepsi, match sponsor for Monday's match, will honor Shoji by providing the grand prize winner of the promotional activity that night 1,000 12-ounce cans of Pepsi, or 42 cases. In addition, 2,880 cans of Pepsi and 2,016 bottles of Lipton Sparkling Tea will be distributed to UH fans as they leave the arena after the match.