The ISU women’s soccer team will take on Southern California on Aug. 30 with the goal of improving every game and realizing the process that takes place.

Iowa State went to Mississippi last weekend and beat Mississippi State 5-1 then lost to Ole Miss 1-0, despite injuries suffered by Haley Albert and Maribell Morales and the a heat index of more than 100 degrees.

ISU head coach Tony Minatta believes that there’s a lot to work on, but the team is starting out with a “good base.”

“I’m not satisfied [with the results from last weekend],” said senior goalkeeper Andrea Swanson. “I think we definitely had the tools to win both games.”

But Minatta wants the players to realize “the process” it takes to become great.

“As a team, I think offensively we’re still getting used to each other and connecting in the final third,” said redshirt senior Margaret Powers. “I think composure in the final third is something we’re going to have to improve on as well as finishing around the goal.”

With the results from last weekend and the things Minatta is preaching, the Cyclones have keyed in on their upcoming opponent, the Women of Troy.

Southern California is 1-0-1 with a win over Long Beach State and a tie against San Diego.

“We’re working on playing very fast because USC is going to be extremely technical. We’re going to have to use our physicality against them,” Powers said. “We’re training hard and getting ready for [the game].”

Iowa State’s goal is ultimately to improve from last week, but Minatta would also like to see them get sharper.

“We had a lot of opportunities going forward that we didn’t capitalize on,” Minatta said. “We need to get sharper going forward. Especially when you’re playing really organized defenses, it’s tough to break down. A lot of that has to do with attacking with speed and sharpness.”

Expectations are high for the Cyclones heading into the USC game.

“We’re going in there expecting to win and play hard against them,” Powers said. “We’re obviously the underdog, but I think we play better sometimes as the underdog.”

Powers said the team welcomes the challenge of a big opponent.

“We’re going in there with nothing to lose and a hungry attitude,” Powers said.

The opening kick will be at 4 p.m. Aug. 29 in South Bend, Ind.