file photo/Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA junior middle blocker Stefani Saragosa attempts to block a spike by an Oregon State player during a game earlier in the season in McKale Center. The Wildcats host California and Stanford this weekend.

Rubio: 'On any given Friday, any given team can win any given game in any given conference'

The UA women's volleyball conference schedule has come down to two games - this weekend's match-ups against California and No. 3 Stanford.

Arizona is currently third in the conference, two games behind the conference-leading Cardinal and one game behind USC.

Earlier in the season, the Wildcats lost a close five-game match with Stanford at the Farm.

Since that match, the Wildcats (18-3 overall, 13-3 Pac-10) have won 10 consecutive conference matches and have overtaken USC and UCLA in the national rankings.

With two victories this weekend, UA would be the favorite to receive one of the four top seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

Tonight, UA takes on the Golden Bears (8-15, 3-12 Pac-10), who are in the bottom of the Pac-10 in every statistical category.

But UA head coach Dave Rubio said the Wildcats can't afford to look past tonight's opponent.

"Everyone is talking about the Stanford match," Rubio said. "We cannot afford to look over Cal. Any team in the Pac-10 can win on any given night."

If both Stanford - who's playing ASU in Tempe tonight - and Arizona win, Saturday's match will more than likely decide the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Saturday also marks senior night as five players, outside hitter Jill Talbot, setters Dana Burkholder and Lauren Benward, middle blocker Erin Sebbas, and defensive specialist Linda McCullagh, will be honored before the start of the match.

"There will be a lot on the line this weekend and that makes it interesting," Talbot said. "For a last home game you can't ask for anything more."

Stanford comes into McKale led by junior All-American Logan Tom.

Tom is coming off a dominating performance against USC and UCLA, which earned her a fourth Pac-10 Player of the Week honor this season as well as her first National Player of the Week honor as well.

"You can't stop a player of her caliber," Rubio said. "Stanford is more then just a one-player team. They are a very balanced and talented team."

Rubio said that when two top teams play, it is the team that gets the most balanced effort that is going to win.

With it being the last regular season home match at McKale, seniors said they could not ask for a better way to go out than playing against the conference top-ranked team.

"It will be a great match," Burkholder said. "We need to play our game. (Saturday) is about the team trying to win, not the seniors."