The only difference yesterday was that the top-ranked Hawaii women's volleyball team had a WAC opponent across the net instead of other Wahine players. Hawaii put Colorado State through the wringer then hung the Rams out to dry, 15-5, 15-4, 15-3 in just 81 minutes.

That quick spin-cycle left the Wahine's perfect record intact at 17-0, 6-0 in WAC. CSU, which slipped out of the Top 25 last week, dropped to 12-6 and 2-3.

About the only thing that went wrong for the Wahine was that senior Nalani Yamashita's lone attempt from the back row didn't go down for a point. The defensive specialist, who played for the Rams in 1992 and '93, finished with a match-high nine digs.

"I know the crowd wants me to try more and at least I tried for that one tonight," said Yamashita, whose attempt brought cheers from the crowd of 6,073 (7,801 tickets issued). "I did expect more from (CSU) and thought they'd be better prepared for us. I know they'll be ready the next time (Nov. 8 at Fort Collins).

"A game like this is still to our benefit because we want to work on our offense, on skills that we haven't been able to in other games. Against Wyoming (Friday), the ball was getting through our block. So our blockers were trying to focus on that."

Apparently Hawaii's focus was clear. The Wahine put on a clinic in the front row, out-blocking CSU, 12-3, with senior Angelica Ljungquist adding to her school record with eight more block assists.

Ljungquist also had 10 kills in hitting .529 and tied her career high with four aces, including three in a row that broke open Game 1. The Wahine finished with eight aces in completing their sixth consecutive sweep of a WAC foe.

"We expected to give them more of a challenge," said Rams setter Analisa Saylor after her team was held to its lowest point total of the season. "We didn't expect to come in and win, but we expected to give them a better match. They're a great team and there's no doubt they should win the WAC.

"I think our frustration set in early in every game. We got behind, 5-0, in all three games and to give up that many points right off the bat is a tough mountain to climb."

Colorado State peaked in Game 1, siding-out well but failing to score points. The Rams hit .300, putting down 19 kills to the Wahine's 18, but gave up six points on UH aces and four on hitting errors.

It was downhill after that for CSU, hitting .030 in Game 2 and negative .200 in Game 3. Rainie Rogers, the Rams' kill leader, finished with 11 but hit just .083.

"It became a little discouraging after a while," CSU coach Rich Feller said. "We were making some excellent plays that nor-mally would terminate play but Hawaii would come up with a dig or something to set up their transition game. "They have so many powerful weapons and attack every single ball.

"As much as you talk about playing it point-by-point, game-by-game, it does wear on the psyche when everything you're doing right comes out wrong."

It did seem as if Hawaii led a charmed life yesterday:

Rogers had two swings on overpasses in Game 1 that would have been easy sideouts but instead hit the net on one, hit out on another.

Janie Penfield's hard shot bounced off Kelli Cordray's shoulder to set up a Robyn Ah Mow kill and help the Wahine to a 9-0 lead in Game 3.

Ah Mow was finally subbed out for Nikki Hubbert at 14-3 in Game 3, turning the traditional aloha ball crowd stand-up into an unintentional, but deserved, standing ovation for the Wahine senior setter.

Hawaii again was very efficient and balanced on offense. Junior hitter Therese Crawford had a match-high 13 kills, hitting .478; senior hitter Joselyn Robins added eight kills, hitting .467.

Hawaii doesn't have much time to prepare for its tough road trip this week. The Wahine leave tomorrow for a three-match, three-state trek to San Diego State (Wednesday), UNLV (Friday) and Air Force (Saturday).

"I feel that Hawaii will win the national championship this year," said Feller. "I couldn't be any happier, except if we won it, to have a WAC team win it all.

"There is no road trip that Hawaii has made in the Big West that physically compares to the ones they now have to make in the WAC. The competition isn't as tough as the Big West but the travel is much tougher.

"But they're a championship team. They'll endure it."