KANSAS CITY, MO -- Cal State LA's men's soccer team, after recording two more shutouts in conference play last week, has climbed into the top-10 in the latest United Soccer Coaches national top-25 poll released on Tuesday.
 
Cal State LA (8-2-1, 6-0 CCAA) jumped from No. 13 to No. 8 and returns to the top-10, where it resided for most of the 2019 season on its way to the NCAA Division II championship game.
 
The Golden Eagles' opponent on Friday, Cal State Dominguez Hills, moved from No. 20 to No. 13 in the national poll so the battle for first-place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association standings will also be a meeting between nationally-ranked opponents.
 
Franklin Pierce remains No. 1 in the nation, while the University of Indianapolis, the team Cal State LA beat in the national semi-finals in 2019 to reach the national championship game, is No. 2. Midwestern State, a second-round NCAA Tournament opponent of Cal State LA's in 2019, is No. 7.
 
The Golden Eagles are nationally-ranked for the 16^th consecutive season. That streak started in 2005, including stints at No. 1 in the nation in the 2009 and 2010 seasons and No. 2 in the nation in 2019 and in the opening poll of 2021.
 
The Golden Eagles have reached the top-18 in the poll in 15 straight seasons, beginning in 2006, and have been in the top-10 in 12 of the past 14 seasons, a streak that began in 2007.
 
Cal State LA has been sensational on defense and enters the week No. 1 in the nation in shutout percentage (8 in 11 games, .727 percentage) and No. 2 in the country in goals against average (.345).
 
Goalkeeper Alvaro Unanua shares the top spot in the nation with eight shutouts and is also second in save percentage (.900).
 
Cal State LA continued its outstanding play in California Collegiate Athletic Association with a pair of victories last week. The Golden Eagles recorded a 1-0 win over Cal State San Marcos on Thursday with a second-half goal from Morten Bjoershol and notched a 1-0 victory at Cal State San Bernardino on Sunday on a goal by Daniel Yu.
 
The Golden Eagles have posted five straight shutouts and allowed only one goal in six conference matches.
 
Cal State LA extended its conference winning streak to 12 with the victories and is now unbeaten in its last 20 conference matches dating back to 2018.
 
Cal State LA will face a tough week with a road game at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Friday followed by a road game at Cal State Monterey Bay on Sunday.