The Central Region semifinals is set for Dec. 13-14 in Lincoln, Nebraska. The sixth-seeded Rainbow Wahine will face 11th-seeded North Carolina in the first of two matches on Friday, Dec. 13. Host Nebraska, the tournament's third seed will take on Miami. The Hurricanes upset 14th-seeded Wisconsin in Madison.
Last season, the Rainbow Wahine traveled to Long Beach, Calif., for the regional semifinals and fell to UCLA, 3-1. The Tar Heels are making their first Sweet 16 appearance. Hawai`i holds a 1-0 series lead over North Carolina, defeating the Tar Heels, 3-0, in 1997. The Rainbow Wahine are 4-5 against Nebraska and 1-0 against Miami.