In tune-ups before matches, the University of Hawaii volleyball team always checks its anti-freeze level.

Similar to timeouts before field-goal attempts in football and free throws in basketball, volleyball coaches will call timeouts to "freeze" opposing servers. But such momentum-altering tactics seem to have had little affect on the Rainbow Warriors.

Following an opponent’s timeout, the Warriors have put into play 88.9 percent of their ensuing serves this season. That’s better than their accuracy of 84.2 percent for all serves.

The Warriors score natural points 35.2 percent of the time. But following opponents’ timeouts, the Warriors score natural points at 37.2 percent.

"That’s kind of Volley 101 when you talk about serving rules," UH coach Charlie Wade said. "When is it more important to serve the ball in bounds? It’s coming out of a timeout or any kind of delay like that."

This week, the Warriors spent an hour working with a motivational coach ahead of matches against UC Irvine on Friday night and Sunday afternoon. The session centered on concentrating during matches.

"The plan is to be focused," outside hitter Siki Zarkovic said. "After a timeout, you have to get the serve in. I try not to think about anything (else) and focus on my serve."

In last Saturday’s match against UCLA, Zarkovic emerged from a timeout by blasting an ace.

Middle blocker Taylor Averill, who has missed only one post-timeout serve this season, said the coaches stress consistency.

"Volleyball is a game of errors," Averill said. "If errors are what you’re thinking about, errors are what you’re going to do. Coming out of a timeout, you know that’s crucial to get the serve in. It’s having that positive mind-set and not shortening the game. You have to think: ‘I’m going to put this serve on this guy in this seam on this side of the court.’ "

Wade said even a soft serve that is in play is better than an error.

"You don’t want to shorten the game for their team just by giving it to them," Wade said. "If you’re up by a bunch or down by a bunch, it doesn’t matter as much. If it’s close, you want to make them have to pass and set. You want to make them hit the ball. You want to make them earn the sideout."

Wade added: "Our players understand. Their buy-in isn’t that tough. It’s the execution. It’s in the moment. It’s know what they have to do coming out of a timeout. We’re not perfect at it, by any means. But we’re working on it."

The Warriors are expected to open against Irvine with their usual lineup of middles Averill and Nick West, outside hitters Zarkovic and Jace Olsen, opposite Brook Sedore, setter Joby Ramos and libero Kolby Kanetake. Garrett Komisarek will have an expanded role as the second libero. Komisarek is skilled at receiving float serves. The Anteaters have as many as four float servers in their rotation.