Chelsea Buckland is the perfect star for Oregon State.

She’s talented, but understated. Dangerous, but overlooked.

Just like the Beavers.

All that just might change Saturday, though.

The surprising Beavers (15-1-1, 7-0-0) find themselves tied at the top of the Pac-10 with powerhouse Stanford, and the two teams are slated to meet in a nationally televised game that will effectively decide the conference.

For Buckland and Oregon State, it’s a chance to finally garner the respect they deserve.

“A win would really press the button in terms of media and attention,” Buckland said. “It would prove to everyone that we’re not just a program that has come out of nowhere; it would be really big for us.”

The 2010 season has been characterized by a lot of big things for the Beavers. Their 15 wins are the most in program history, as are their seven conference triumphs.

For the first time since the 1994 season, and only the second time ever, Oregon State will finish second or higher in the conference.

And at the center of it all is Buckland (#69 Top 100 Upperclassmen), the sophomore forward who has long paid her dues.

The Vancouver, British Columbia, native leads the team in goals (8) and points (18) but it was her offseason leadership that proved most impactful for her team.

From the outside, her redshirt freshman campaign that featured a team-leading seven goals was a spectacular one; but Buckland knew better. She only earned one start in 2009, in part because she wasn’t conditioned enough to stay on the field as much as she would have liked.

So Buckland spent the offseason working with trainers and adhering to a lifestyle change that resulted in the loss of 25 pounds.

“Getting in shape really set the tone for me and my teammates who look to me,” Buckland said. “I’m stronger and fitter than ever and it’s really made the difference. I’m now very confident in myself and I know I can go out there and compete for the full 90 minutes.”

The players behind Buckland are equally prepared. Players like: Melissa Pack, Melinda Ingalls, Brittany Galindo, Courtney Wetzel and goalkeeper Colleen Boyd who has run her career shutout school record to 13.

These definitely aren’t your father’s Beavers, and they’re not stepping aside for anyone.

“I think sometimes when teams play against great programs they underestimate themselves. Stanford has had great programs and success but we’re not intimidated by any means,” Buckland said.

“We’re under the radar and we’re ready to come out and prove ourselves. We’re not going to sit back in the shadows.”