Every match preparation has two focuses, one on each side of the net.

When it comes to its side of the court, No. 13 Hawaii continues to look at its serve-receive alignment. After giving up 95 aces in 31 matches last season, the Rainbow Wahine have given up 54 aces in 13 contests so far, including 12 in last week’s two road matches.

The statistics don’t include the number of poor service receptions that lead to a less-than-perfect set and often leads to predictability. Better passing equals better opportunities for a diverse offense.

Part of the issue for Hawaii has been its evolving and revolving lineup. For the first three matches, the Wahine were without senior opposite Nikki Taylor, and senior middle-turned-hitter Annie Mitchem for the first nine. Add in junior hitter Kalei Greeley, one of the team’s top passers, not being 100 percent recovered after shoulder surgery, and sophomore hitter McKenna Granato in the passing rotation full-time for the first time, it should come as little surprise that the Wahine are at times a little shaky.

As for the focus on the other side of the net, this week starts with Cal State Fullerton sophomore Shimen Fayad. The 6-foot outside hitter is the reigning Big West player of the week after helping the Titans win their first conference opener in five years last Saturday.

Her 27 kills and 22 digs were her ninth double-double of the season, a performance where she hit .390 for the night, including .769 in Set 4 when putting down 10 of the Titans’ 13 kills. It came in a four-set win at home against UC Riverside, ending Fullerton’s 19-match conference losing streak dating back to Nov. 15, 2014.

That victory “gives the team confidence and the belief that they can compete in the Big West,” second-year Titan coach Ashley Preston said. “It also shows that their hard work and commitment to our goals is paying off.”

Fayad headlines a roster where only two players — junior setter Katie Roux and junior hitter Katelyn Nielsen — have been with the program longer than the coach. Preston is rebuilding with freshmen (four) and transfers (seven), including Fayad who had nine kills against the Wahine last August while playing for Wichita State in the season- opening Chevron Invitational.

“Shimen is a fierce competitor; she practices as hard as she plays in the match,” Preston said. “I believe her faith in her team and (in) the coaching staff to put her in the best position to score is helping her be successful.”

On Wednesday, Fayad had a team-high eight kills in the Titans’ 25-23, 25-22, 25-9 home loss to UC Irvine. The match was one of a handful scheduled where a Big West team that plays “lone wolf” Hawaii has another match to prepare for in that week.

“I want them to stay in the moment and not fixate on the fact we have to play, travel then play again,” Preston said. “When you get an opportunity to play a Top 20 team in their gym with such a vibrant atmosphere, you better play your best.

“That’s what I want for my young team, to play their hardest against the Wahine.”

Friday’s match will feature two starting freshman setters: Hawaii’s Norene Iosia and Fullerton’s Rachel Hall. Iosia is the reigning conference freshman of the week and Hall is out of powerhouse Huntington Beach (Calif.) High, the alma mater of Wahine juniors Kendra Koelsch and Gianna Guinasso.

“Rachel’s ability to set the middle off of imperfect balls has really opened up the floor for our pin hitters and has made our offense that much better,” Preston said.

Hawaii coach Dave Shoji remains very impressed with his freshman setter who is tied for the Big West lead in assist average (11.14 aps).

“Norene continues to play well under pressure,” Shoji said. “She is just what we call a volleyball player, obviously has great hands but has a high volleyball IQ for such a young player. Everyone respects her.”

Hawaii has two streaks on the line Friday. The Wahine are 34-0 against the Titans and have won their last 23 conference matches dating back to 2014.

NOTE: Taylor ranks No. 2 nationally in averaging 6.6 points per set (kills plus blocks plus aces) and has had double-doubles in all 10 matches she’s played. The Kaiser High product has 1,173 kills and needs 17 to pass Kenyatta Lovelace (1990-93) for No. 14 on the program’s all-time career kill list.