Given the struggles the ISU volleyball team experienced during its nonconference schedule this season, there is going to be a greater need for wins as it navigates its way through the difficult Big 12 schedule.

Conference play kicks off this weekend with a home match against Baylor in which the No. 25 Cyclones (6-4) will pursue their second winning streak of the season. They started the season 4-0 before losing four of their next five matches.

“I think there’s always pressure [to win],” said ISU senior libero Kristen Hahn, who leads the Big 12 in digs per set this season with 5.44. “With the preseason polls, they expect us to come out second, and for me, I’m like: ‘I want the top spot.’ … My mindset is, ‘How many teams can we just come in and play our best volleyball against?’ I think it’s good for us. It gives you something to look forward to.”

Iowa State has gone 13-3 in Big 12 play each of the past two seasons and has finished second both years behind Texas.

The Cyclones’ last match took place last Saturday, Sept. 21, in which they defeated Iowa in Iowa City, earning a much-needed boost in both confidence and record before starting conference play.

That match began in dominant fashion for Iowa State, winning the first set 25-11 before being more evenly matched by the Hawkeyes for remainder of the 3-1 victory.

“It was huge; I think we learned a little bit more about ourselves in that game,” Hahn said. “We still have to make sure that we can focus through three sets right away and play our best volleyball in the first three sets and not have that drop off. So we’re still just working on that.”

Baylor is 8-8 this season and has won six of its last eight matches after starting the year 1-5. The Cyclones and Bears have been evenly matched historically, tied 18-18 all-time against each other.

“I know traditionally what they do is attack very well out of the middle and typically pretty physical, good blocking team,” said ISU coach Christy Johnson-Lynch on Baylor. “I would guess we’ll see more of the same but a lot of it will be about what’s happening on our side of the net.”

Iowa State has won each of its previous seven meetings with Baylor and will be going for No. 8 on Saturday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum. The match is set to begin at 4 p.m.