LOS ANGELES » The expectations are as varied as the respective national championship histories.

The storied volleyball programs at USC and Hawaii ALWAYS expect to contend for the title, dating to the 1970s. The Rainbow Wahine and Women of Troy have combined for six of the previous 27 NCAA championships and four of the 10 AIAW banners.

San Diego, winning its third consecutive West Coast Conference championship, is looking to become an established power. The Toreros have never gotten beyond the Sweet 16 in 12 previous appearances.

And Belmont? The Bruins are excited about everything, from getting to fly to California - the farthest west they've gone this season is Texas - to playing Hawaii, their first ranked opponent of the season, in their second NCAA tournament.

“;We know we're the underdog,”; Belmont coach Deane Webb said. “;The first thing that jumped out at me when we saw the brackets was we were with three top-16 teams. If it's not the strongest (sub-regional) site in the country, it's one of the strongest.

“;And we believe Hawaii is one of the tougher teams in the field. All you can do is go into the tournament, do your best and let the results go the way they do.”;

For two of the four, tomorrow is aloha ball. The remaining two move on to Saturday's second round with a regional semifinal berth at stake.

A look at the teams:

No. 12 USC (16-11)

The Women of Troy have missed the tournament only twice (1986 and 1990), and are 57-21 all-time. This is their 18th straight appearance.

USC opened the year with straight-set losses to Texas and Nebraska, then won eight straight, including a 3-2 victory over rival UCLA that opened the Pac-10 season. The Women of Troy have dropped their last three, all on the road, at Stanford, at Cal and at UCLA.

USC also saw its school-record home winning streak snapped at 32 with a five-set loss to Washington.

The Women of Troy finished tied with UCLA for fifth place (9-9) in the Pac-10. The conference had six teams selected for the NCAA tournament, the most of any conference.

USC is led by freshman outside hitter Alex Jupiter (3.26 kps) and junior setter Taylor Carico, who has the team hitting .228. At Stanford on Nov. 21, Carico became the second USC setter to reach the 4,000-assist mark. She needs 182 assists to break the career mark of 4,258 held by Janice Mounts.

There are no seniors on the roster for the first time since 1999.

The Women of Troy are 3-3 against Hawaii in the postseason, with the Wahine winning the last meeting 3-2 in the 2006 regional semifinal in Honolulu. Hawaii also defeated USC 3-2 for the 1982 NCAA title.

Last word: “;I've been voting USD 11th or 12th all season, but no one else agrees with me. We're a lot better than we were when we played them, but so are they.”; USC coach Mick Haley on tomorrow's rematch with San Diego.

  No. 15 San Diego (23-4)

The Toreros are making their eighth consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament, 13th overall. USD is 9-12 all-time.

The Toreros finished out West Coast Conference play with three consecutive sweeps, No. 21 Santa Clara and No. 24. Pepperdine among them, to win their third straight WCC crown. USD also swept Yale last week

Honolulu-born Amy Mahinalani DeGroot, a junior hitter, was named the WCC Player of the Year. She leads the team in kills (4.28 kps) and aces (24), is second in digs (220).

Also earning All-WCC honors were senior setter Jessica Nyrop, who has the Toreros hitting .278, fifth best in the country; sophomore right-side hitter Ali Troost (2.89 kps, 1.40 dps), and junior libero Andrea Csaszl (4.21 dps).

San Diego is 0-2 against Hawaii and 0-6 against USC. The last loss to the Women of Troy was on Sept. 6 in Los Angeles when the Toreros were swept 26-24, 25-17, 25-17 but were without an injured Troost.

All of San Diego's losses have come against teams in the NCAA tournament: at USC in three, at Washington in three, at San Francisco in four and against visiting Saint Mary's in four.

Last word: ”;We're a different team than when we played USC the first time. And the WCC helped us greatly to prepare for the NCAAs. We got five teams in, which shows the strength of competition we've had every weekend.”; San Diego coach Jennifer Petrie on tomorrow's rematch with USC.

  Belmont (25-7)

The unranked Bruins, the Atlantic Sun champions, have won their last 11, the longest winning steak in the program's history. The 25 victories also is a program best.

This is the second NCAA tournament for Belmont, which won the ASC tournament 3-2 over Jacksonville and with a 3-0 upset of top-seeded Lipscomb. The Bruins fell to Ohio State in the 2006 first round.

Belmont is fourth in the country in aces (260), led by freshman setter Channing Salava's 58. Salava was also selected the Atlantic Sun's Freshman of the Year.

Dynamic senior hitter Cat Mundy leads the Bruins in kills (3.45 kps) and is second in aces (47). Junior middle Jenny Gray is averaging 2.01 kps, 2.20 dps and a team-high 92 blocks.

Belmont has not played any team in this sub-regional.

Last word: ”;I have a great deal of respect for Hawaii and their legend of a coach. We're honored to have the experience of playing them,”; said Belmont coach Deane Webb on tomorrow's match with the Wahine.