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Stanford women's volleyball coach John Dunning figured it was a good thing that California kept getting better under Palo Alto High grad and Bears' coach Rich Feller.

"Sure, when we went into a place like Washington, they had to start preparing separate plans for both of us," Dunning said after the fourth-ranked Cardinal (6-0, 15-2) beat Arizona State in three sets last Sunday. "Now, maybe, I shouldn't have wished for that."

Each program only needs to prepare for each other this weekend, and what a weekend. The college volleyball community will turn its eyes to Maples Pavilion for Sunday's 12:30 p.m. match (FSNBA) between the remaining undefeated teams in Pac-10 play.

Feller has not just made California (6-0, 16-1) competitive in conference play; he has shaped the Bears into a perennial national title contender. Cal made its first appearance in the Final Four last year, one of three Pac-10 teams, with Stanford and USC.

The Bears graduated All-American Angie Pressey and also return All-American Hana Cutera.

The Cardinal graduated All-American Bryn Kehoe, but also returns All-Americans Foluke Akinradewo, Cynthia Barboza and Alix Klineman.

"It's a special game not just because Cal is our rival but also because they are such a good team," Akinradewo said. "We have to be ready to play."

Something has to give on Sunday. Both teams come in with 11-match winning streaks and with top 5 national rankings. The Bears have won a school record 29 consecutive sets, while the Cardinal has won 33 of its last 34 sets.

Stanford is third in the nation in hitting percentage (.331), California ranks fourth (.324). Stanford and Cal are either first or second in the Pac-10 in hitting percentage, opponents' hitting percentage, assists and kills.

Akinradewo leads the conference in hitting percentage and blocks. Cutura leads in kills and Carli Lloyd leads in assists for the Bears.

Both coaches graduated from San Diego State in 1973 and both coached at Pacific in Stockton. Both teams also have their own Menlo School grad with senior Alex Fisher at Stanford and freshman Katherine Gorman at Cal.

More statistical fun: Stanford is 15-0 when winning the first set; California is 16-0. Stanford has won seven straight against the Bears and most of them have been competitive.

Matches have extended past three sets in 10 of the past 12 matches, with six of those decided in the fifth set. Last year at Maples, Cal had Stanford on the ropes, leading 14-12 in the fifth set before the Cardinal rallied for the 16-14 match-clinching win.

"You always want to beat Cal just because they are our rivals," Barboza said. "They have always been a challenge and they keep getting better."

Stanford is also honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Sunday with "Dig for the Cure" day. Players will be collecting donations for research and awareness. The event is sponsored by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.