Colleges:

The Vanguard University women’s soccer team might go the entire season without giving up nine goals.

The Orange Coast College men’s soccer team managed the ignominious feat in a single game.

But while they have taken divergent paths, both teams are at or near the top of their respective conferences in the early stages of the campaign.

Vanguard (9-1, 3-1 in the Golden State Athletic Conference), ranked No. 9 in the NAIA, has seven shutouts this season and has allowed just three goals.

Coach Randy Dodge’s Lions have yielded all of their goals in four conference games, one of which came in a 4-1 trouncing of No. 1-ranked Cal Baptist Wednesday at home.

And the consistent competition offered by GSAC teams that also include No. 4 Azusa Pacific, No. 17 Concordia and No. 18 The Master’s, figures to provide a recurring challenge for a defense anchored by senior goalkeeper Jillian Foss.

But Vanguard appears to have plenty of firepower of its own, led by sophomore midfielder Gabriela Valles, who had a season’s worth of production last week.

Valles recorded a hat trick against Cal Baptist, then collected two goals and an assist in a 3-0 nonconference win over visiting Emery-Riddle of Arizona on Saturday.

She now has seven goals and four assists to top the Lions with 18 points.

Freshman Amanda Crouch has five goals and six assists, while junior Karri Currier has chipped in five goals and four assists to help create a 25-3 cumulative scoring advantage.

OCC, meanwhile, has bounced back from an oppressive 9-0 nonconference loss to Cerritos on Sept. 22 to win four straight to open Orange Empire Conference play.

Coach Laird Hayes’ Pirates (7-4, 4-0) have just two shutouts this season and have been outscored, 23-21, by opponents. Yet their 12 points in the conference standings (three awarded for a win and one for a tie), give them a five-point cushion over second-place Cypress (2-1-1 in OEC play).

 It figures to be an eventful Friday at UC Irvine, where the No. 21-ranked women’s volleyball team plays host to No. 25-ranked Long Beach State in a battle for first place in the Big West Conference at Crawford Court.

Coach Paula Weishoff’s Anteaters are 14-3, 4-1 in the Big West, while the rival 49ers enter 11-4, 4-1.

The two Black-and-Blue rivals are tied atop the conference standings heading into the 7 p.m. clash.

The match could provide a compelling prelude to the annual Midnight Magic event to unveil the UCI men’s and women’s basketball teams, tentatively set to occur around 10 p.m. at the Bren Events Center.

 The Orange Coast College women’s volleyball team has a big week ahead.

The Pirates (8-1, 2-1 in the Orange Empire Conference can gain at least a share of the conference lead with wins at Riverside (Wednesday) and at home against Irvine Valley on Friday.

Riverside is 11-5, 2-1 and Irvine Valley enters the week at 7-0, 3-0.