Beyond San Diego State, Idaho and third-ranked UCLA, the real challenge in this weekend’s 18th annual Verizon Volleyball Challenge will be to unmask the Rainbow Wahine.

Is ninth-ranked Hawaii the team that took sixth-ranked Stanford apart two weeks ago and was practically perfect against Baylor on Saturday?

Or is it the dazed and confused bunch that bumbled its way through a five-set loss Sunday against a Cal team that has played so poorly it is now out of the rankings for the first time in nine years?

The preseason concludes at Stan Sheriff Center, with the Wahine (5-1) hoping for more answers than questions, to say nothing of some solid passing and consistency.

They open tonight against the unbeaten Aztecs, a team that is as upbeat and giddy as Hawaii was when it was 5-0 — before its breakdown against the Golden Bears.

Prior the Hawaii’s practice at 6 a.m. Tuesday, UH’s "Emily" co-captains — Hartong and Maeda — pulled the players together.

"It just kind of happened," said Maeda, the team’s only senior. "We rounded up everyone and said we’ve got to work hard this week in practice. We have to come back with a lot of energy. It’s in the practice gym where it all starts."

The level of energy and effort has changed this week, but that was also true last week in a different way. Hawaii had no sense of urgency, Maeda said, and could not find its focus.

"Our team understands that we can be good," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "It also understands we are not so good that we can play without emotion. We’ve got to be fired up, got to be really into the match."

His team was not in a ragged win over San Francisco last Friday. But the next night the Wahine blew by Baylor, getting nearly twice as many kills and out-hitting the stunned Bears .372-.089.

Against Cal, which had lost to Baylor and USF, Hawaii’s .324 hitting percentage was cut nearly in half. Passes flew everywhere, forcing it to rely almost solely on outside hitters Jane Croson and Hartong, and Croson had the worst match of her college career.

"Cal exposed our passing and from there …," Maeda said, shrugging. "The passing, it wasn’t horrible, but it’s not what we know we can do. If that goes down we’re pretty dependent on our outside hitters. We’re really talented if our passing is good and we can run the middles and spread the offense."

Even with a predictably bad attack, UH had chances to win against Cal. But it managed just three aces and barely out-dug a team that was dramatically taller and made 16 service errors.

Finally, the Wahine couldn’t stop Cal sophomore Christina Higgins. She couldn’t find the court the first four matches of the season, but buried Hawaii with five straight kills in the fifth set.

UCLA is taller than the Golden Bears, a team SDSU beat opening week. And the Wahine, who have just two starters back at the same position, are still searching for the right mix.

For now, freshman Tai Manu-Olevao will not be part of it. Shoji still plans to redshirt her and hopes to get more production out of Kaela Goodman and transfer Ashley Kastl on the right … or wherever. Defensive specialists Sarah Mendoza, Katie Spieler and Katiana Ponce will also redshirt.

The coach has confidence his team is the group that sank Stanford, not the group that showed up against Cal.

"We’re not a great passing team, but if we pass OK then I think we’re very hard to beat — when we get more than one or two options," he says. "We’ve got a lot of players who can put the ball down."

Maeda insists the Wahine will work through this.

"Our fans aren’t going to suffer," the senior said. "We’re going to grind it out."

A look at the teams:

No. 9 Hawaii (5-1)

Won its ninth Wahine Volleyball Classic last weekend, despite falling to now-unranked Cal on final night … Emily Hartong (6-2 Jr. OH) named most outstanding player at first two tournaments, averaging 4.45 kps and hitting .307 … Jade Vorster (6-4 Fr. MB), hitting .438, and setter Mita Uiato (5-8 Jr.) were also all-tournament selections … Hartong and Jane Croson (5-11 So. OH) have combined for 55 percent of Hawaii’s kills and 60 percent of its swings, with Croson averaging 3.86 kills … Won 15 of the first 17 Challenges and 47 of 49 matches, with a 15-match winning streak coming in.

San Diego State (5-0)

Three-time Hawaii All-American Deitre Collins-Parker is in her fourth year as coach and took Aztecs to a second-place Mountain West finish last season, its best since 2002 … SDSU, which joins Big West next year, upset Cal opening week and is receiving votes in the poll after its best start in 11 years … former Wahine Michelle Waber (6-3 So. OH) was MVP of both tournaments Aztecs won to open the season … Waber played in every match for Hawaii in 2010, earningWAC All-Freshman honors and averaging 2 kills while hitting .193 … Waber now averaging 3.82 kps and hitting .282 on a team with a hitting percentage of .317 … Emily Harris (6-1 Jr. MB) was also all-tournament last weekend after hitting .417 and collecting 1.50 blocks per set … all-conference middle Andrea Hannasch (6-2 Sr.) leads the Mountain West with .521 hitting and is averaging 3.22 kills and 1.28 blocks … 3-37 against Hawaii, losing last 21.

No. 3 UCLA (3-1)

Mike Sealy, Hawaii’s associate coach from 2006-09, guided the Bruins to their seventh national title last year and was national Coach of the Year … staff includes former Wahine Cayley Thurlby (Director of Operations) and Punahou graduate Stein Metzger (volunteer assistant) … Bruins lead the Pac-12 in blocking (3.28) … All-American Rachael Kidder (6-3 Sr. OH) and Tabi Love (6-5 St. OH) are both averaging nearly 3.5 kps … Karsta Lowe (6-4 So. OH) had career highs in kills and digs in UCLA’s win over UC Santa Barbara Saturday despite not starting, and averaged 3.71 kills, 2.71 digs, 1.29 blocks and hit .440 in an all-tournament performance … Punahou graduate Rachel Inouye (5-6 Fr.) is one of four defensive specialists on roster, but has not played … without those DS’s, UCLA’s average height is 6-2 … only loss came in five sets against No. 4 Nebraska at Lincoln … 33-36 against Hawaii.

Idaho (2-5)

All-WAC hitter Allison (Walker) Baker (6-1 Jr.) has double-doubles in all seven matches and is averaging 4.75 kps — with a career-high 28 in a win over Washington State — and 3.09 digs … Baker, who has taken 36 percent of Idaho’s swings, and Alyssa Schultz (6-3 So. MB), averaging 1.22 blocks and 2.50 kills, were all-tournament selections opening week … Janelle Chow (5-8 Sr. DS) leads WAC in digs (4.75) … picked to finish second in WAC … lost in five sets to Big West teams Pacific, Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara, and lost in four to Cal State Northridge … Debbie Buchanan was 2011 WAC Coach of Year after guiding Vandals to a T2 finish, best in history … 0-18 against Hawaii going into first nonconference match.

Notes

Rainbow Wahine Volleyball is hosting an alumnae dinner open to the public to raise funds for the program. The dinner is Thursday at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Cost is $95, for food and drink (beer, wine and soft drinks) from 3660 On The Rise, Big City Diner, Hiroshi Eurasian Tapas, Hukilau, Le Bistro, Roy’s, Superb Sushi and Tango Cafe.

Alumnae who have confirmed attendance include Olympians Robyn Ah Mow-Santos and Heather Bown, Tita Ahuna, Mahina Eleneki, Aneli Cubi-Otineru, Victoria Prince and Kanani Danielson.

For more information, call 956-6229.