1-UCLA

The only thing as impressive as returning last year's Soccer Buzz National Player of the Year and two-time Pac-10 leading scorer, Lauren Cheney, is the Bruins' defense. UCLA has given up one goal in 12 games.

The No. 4 Bruins' current 10-game shutout streak has come at the expense of mostly average opponents, with the exception of a big win over now-No. 3 Portland and the recent domination of No. 19 San Diego.

Cheney, who scored 23 goals last season, is already pacing the UCLA offense in 2008 with five goals and as many assists. But the Bruins are by no means a one-woman show.

"It seems like you have to be on a national team to play there," Cal's Megan Jesolva said of UCLA. "But once you get on that field it doesn't make any difference who you are or where you have been, you still have to play together as a team to win."

The Bruins have had at least a share of the Pac-10 championship for the last five years. And speaking of streaks, UCLA (9-0-2) has won 42 home matches in a row.

But as daunting as the Bruins seem, their lock on the Pac-10 crown might not be as tight as in recent years with the rise of other programs.

2-Stanford

It's hard to disagree with the six Pac-10 coaches who voted Stanford as their favorite to take this year's conference title away from UCLA. And with their play thus far in 2008, the No. 6 Cardinal has made it even harder to take issue with that prediction.

On defense, it seems as though the departure of two-time first-team all Pac-10 defender Rachel Buehler has had little to no effect on the strength in the back. The stingy backline has allowed a miniscule 17 shots on goal, which has only yielded three scores.

Stanford (10-0-1) has pounded opponents into submission with 34 goals. And it is the young guns who are ripping the nets in 2008 for the Cardinal.

Sophomore Christen Press and freshman Lindsay Taylor have combined for 17 goals and seven assists. And if teams shut them down, there's always second-team All-American Kelley O'Hara to stop, who has already managed to slide six goals by her opponents and passed her way to seven assists.

Some may argue that the Cardinal has been relatively untested, as its only top-10 opponent-now-No. 2 North Carolina-dealt it a 1-1 draw.

3-Cal

No. 20 Cal is capable of taking the field against any opponent and completely dominating the game.

The Bears (7-3) have out-shot every one of their opponents with the exception of No. 8 Texas, tallying 206 shots and allowing 72. But after scoring 17 goals in their first six games, the Bears have hit a plateau, scoring only four goals in their past four games.

"If we can find a way to score and take advantage of our opportunities, then we can beat anybody," Cal's Nikki Schrey said.

And that statement might not be too far from the truth, as the Bears have suffered their only losses in games in which they missed a significant amount of opportunities-Cal State Fullerton, the Longhorns and No. 7 Texas A&M.

"Sometimes we get complacent against teams," Kanu said. "All it takes is that extra effort-that extra umph for two seconds to get that next goal. And sometimes we don't have that."

Any of the top four teams have the ability to take the Pac-10 crown this year, and if the Bears can put away games when given the opportunity, they have a legitimate shot.

4-USC

Last year, the nation deemed USC's run to the NCAA championship as a "Cinderella story," as if there were some sort of magic involved. This year, the No. 5 Trojans (10-1) have set out to prove that last year wasn't a fluke.

With only one blemish on their record-a 1-0 overtime loss to Portland-the USC offense has overpowered its opponents 37-8. The Trojans have produced a team effort with eight players tallying three or more goals.

After leading USC in assists as a freshman in 2007, sophomore Ashli Sandoval is well on her way to her previous total of 11, as she has chipped in seven assists already this season.

The Trojans also have the fortune of returning the 2007 College Cup's Most Outstanding Defensive and Offensive Players in goalkeeper Kristin Olsen and Amy Rodriguez. Rodriguez picked up some caps and a gold medal-winning assist for Team USA in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

USC will again be a major player in the Pac-10 and is poised to make another run at the College Cup. But this time, it's expected.

5-Washington

Washington, which had an abysmal 2007 season going 5-13-1 with only two wins in conference play, seems to have forgotten the team it was a year ago.

In 2008, the Huskies have started out 9-2, with losses coming from now-No. 21 Illinois and an overtime heartbreaker to No. 3 Portland.

Washington junior

Veronica Perez has been a huge part of this year's successes, putting away seven goals and passing her way to three assists, which is more points than any other Huskies player posted during the whole of the 2007 season.

Washington's wins have not been garnered against the most quality of foes, as its most difficult challenges are still to come in conference play. Nonetheless, the complete rebound after 2007 might spell trouble for some middle of-the-road Pac-10 squads.

"We have to be careful not to overlook anyone especially," Kanu said. "Everyone always talks about USC, UCLA and Stanford; you never hear about anyone else. But anyone can win in the Pac-10. You gotta be careful."

6-Arizona

In the annual preseason poll, the Pac-10 coaches tabbed Arizona to finish ninth in the conference-the same spot that it finished in 2007 with a 1-7-1 record.

The Wildcats must not have bought into their own hype, or lack thereof, as they come into Pac-10 play in 2008 with a 7-4 record.

Their record includes wins over the likes of No. 7 Texas A&M and underrated Santa Clara, and carries close overtime losses to No. 8 Texas and No. 23 UCSB.

"Last year, I don't remember anything difficult about the game, except that it was hot," Kanu said. "But they were a young team then and it seems like it will be a tougher match-up this year."

Arizona goalkeeper Chelsea McIntyre, a personal friend of Kanu's, missed the entirety of 2007 with an injury, but her return has been worth the wait, as she has posted five shutouts.

What seems to have put the Wildcats over the threshold of mediocrity is freshman forward Renae Cuellar, who has made the most of her five goals, as four have been game-winners.

Arizona has proven that it can show up and play in a big way against talented opponents. Fortunately for the Wildcats, nearly every match in conference play is a big game.

7-ASU

Four Pac-10 teams made the NCAA tournament in 2007. Arizona State was not one of them. The Sun Devils, who tied for fifth in the conference last year, were on the bubble during the selection of the 64, but did not receive a bid.

Former Cal coach Kevin Boyd, in his second season at ASU (6-2-3), has experienced a roller-coaster of a ride during the 2008 campaign. Boyd has seen his squad play to an even draw against No. 8 Texas, and fall to unranked TCU and San Diego State.

Keeper Briana Silvestri had herself a day against Texas, recording seven saves and keeping the game locked at nil, which earned her NSCAA Player of the Week honors.

Don't expect the Sun Devils to light up the nets in conference play as they have only managed to score 16 goals this season.

"They actually scored first the last time we played," Jesolva said of Cal's victory over ASU last year. "They always bring something new to the game."

But the same is true for ASU as it is for every other team in the Pac-10-it is impossible to assemble a pre-conference schedule that can adequately create the tests that conference play will administer.

8-Oregon

So far this season, Oregon has showed two things: It can score, and it can let its opponents score-a lot.

It appears that the graduation of second-team all Pac-10 team member Dylann Tharp might have left an unfixable hole in the Ducks backline, as Oregon has let in 16 goals, which puts the Ducks at dead last in the Pac-10 in terms of goals allowed.

Despite the high-scoring games, Oregon (7-3-1) has found a way to win, powered by its 21 goals.

"They have a lot of heart and a few good players," Kanu said. "They are always dangerous."

The emergence of sophomore Jen Stoltenberg, who had only one goal last season, has lifted the Ducks in 2008 with her seven goals and five assists.

Oregon will be looking to improve its abysmal 2007 conference campaign, which consisted of only one win, four losses and four ties.

But the Ducks do have another bright side, as they return three first-team All-Academic Pac-10 players to the books and to the field in 2008.

9-WSU

Washington State is poised to have a difficult run in the conference in 2008, just as it did last year. But don't be too shocked if it falls a little bit further than the middle this season.

The Cougars have compiled a winning record of 6-2-3, with wins over now-No. 23 Santa Barbara and a handful of unranked squads. WSU fell 2-1 to then-No. 11 Illinois in the first week of September, but rebounded in its next game to tie No. 13 West Virginia in two overtime periods.

"We really never know much about Washington State," Kanu said. "In those type of games, we just have to go out there and play our game."

The important name out of Pullman is junior Kiersten Dallstream. The first-team all Pac-10 junior is out to a great start-by Wazzu standards-with three goals and three assists. Beyond Dallstream, it seems that the Cougars lack the necessary depth to make a statement in this year's ridiculously stacked conference.

But teams have been known to come up with unbelievable results when they are branded as the underdog (see USC).

10-OSU

Oregon State was unable to net a winning result in 2007 conference play. But the ever-improving Pac-10 doesn't look like it's going to get any easier for the Beavers in 2008.

"They had a really good forward that we had to pay attention to, but other than that they weren't great," Kanu said.

Unfortunately for the Beavers, Taylor Jodie graduated. Jodie scored 14 goals and tossed in four assists during 2007. But like other teams in the conference, Oregon State will have to make do with what it has left.

So far this season, the Beavers have managed to piece together some wins before conference play, compiling a 5-4-1 record. But their less-than-stellar opponents have outscored Oregon State, 11-10, which places the Beavers dead last in the Pac-10 in goals scored.

In fact, Oregon State ranks near the bottom of the conference in almost every statistical category except saves, fouls, yellow cards and offsides.

Keeper Colleen Boyd may be one of the lone standouts, while maintaining a .885 save percentage, good enough for second best in the conference.

The Beavers' success this season might rely on how long Boyd can keep them in games.

Tags: CAL WOMEN'S SOCCER