KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat Freshman Kelly Nelson dribbles the ball past Saint Louis defenders earlier this season. Nelson scored Arizona's lone goal in a losing effort against ASU this weekend.

A team with Arizona in its name continued on two winning streaks this weekend: A seven-game winning streak and an eight-game series streak.

Unfortunately, the team's mascot is a Sun Devil.

ASU (8-1-2, 1-0-0) continued its win streak in the Pacific-10 Conference opener for both teams. The streak has not seen them lose since Sept. 8 to Southern Methodist, 2-1.

The Wildcats (5-5-1, 0-1-0) fell in Tempe Friday night, 3-1, marking the eighth meeting in a row won by ASU and keeping the team undefeated in the series.

"We had a goal called back, and the first goal of the game was controversial," head coach Cathy Klein said. "Our players responded well to the adversity."

ASU had only allowed one goal in the last six games, and only six goals on the entire season.

The stellar defense is one of the reasons they are ranked 16th in the nation by Soccer America.

Starting her first collegiate match at goal for the Wildcats was freshman Natalie Juarez, who had previously played 150 minutes, and tallied nine saves and a 1.29 goals against average.

With 17:57 elapsed, ASU took the lead when junior Amy LePeilbet shot one into the net with the help of sophomore Stephanie Peel.

The Sun Devils took a 2-0 lead in the 32nd minute with a shot from five yards out by leading scorer Elizabeth Bogus on an assist from Haley Stein.

UA went into the half down by two, but came out kicking in the second.

Pac-10 and Wildcat leading scorer Kelly Nelson put one in the back of the net in the 53rd minute from the right side.

Credited with her fourth assist of the season on the goal was freshman Lisa Kosena.

"Kelly's goal was brilliant," Klein said. "It says a lot to score on a team that had only given up one goal in the previous six games."

Nelson's goal now moves her within one of tying the UA single-season record of 11, and her 10 goals are the most for an Arizona player since 1999.

As it has seemed all season, the opposition struck back quickly, as ASU took a 3-1 lead only a minute and half after Nelson's goal by way of freshman Brittany Cooper.

Late in the second half it appeared that the Wildcats had closed within one off a corner kick, but the goal was not permitted after being ruled out of bounds when it hit the crossbar before coming back into play.

Arizona was out-shot 17-8 by the Sun Devils and trailed in shots-on-goal by 11-5. Freshman Mallory Miller had a team-high three shots with two on goal and sophomore Candice Wilks and Kosena had two shots each, both on goal.

"ASU will be one of the top four teams in the Pac-10 this year and easily the best team we've played so far this season," Klein said. "Their staff told us that we'll upset some teams in the Pac-10 this year. That's the best compliment we could have received this far as a program."

Arizona continues its Pac-10 play as it plays host to UCLA and USC in Tucson next weekend.