For its final road trip of the regular season, the ISU soccer team will face two dynamic offenses in Kansas and Baylor this weekend. However, the similarities between the opponents end there.

Iowa State (10-7, 1-4 Big 12) is coming off a 3-0 win against in-state rival, Drake, last Sunday. The Cyclones will move on to face a disciplined Kansas team (8-6-2, 2-3 Big 12) on Friday, and the sound defense of No. 20 Baylor (11-1-4, 2-0-3 Big 12) on Sunday.

“We have to be on top of our game mentally [this weekend], make good decisions and take care of the ball,” said ISU soccer coach Wendy Dillinger.

Kansas is averaging 1.56 goals and 16.6 shots per game. Iowa State has a similar offense with 2.12 goals and 15.41 shots per game.

“We have to come out with a lot of urgency; a lot of tenacity right from the first whistle when we get there on Friday,” said junior forward Jennifer Dominguez. “That way we’ll put the momentum on our end. I think offensively, we could match up pretty well with them.”

Baylor’s offense is the most productive. It is averaging 2.38 goals per game this season, good for a first place ranking in the Big 12.

“We’re just going to have to attack everything,” said sophomore forward Ashley Johnson. “Our defense will do their job and hopefully the offense will do theirs.”

Iowa State will face a well-disciplined team in Kansas. The Jayhawks have not received a single yellow or red card this entire season and have averaged only eight fouls a game.

“It challenges us to be a little bit more disciplined too,” Dominguez said. “I think maybe it works to our advantage; maybe they are not as physical.”

Unlike Kansas, Baylor is leading the Big 12 in yellow cards and fouls this season.

The disadvantage Baylor has due to fouls is made up for with defense. The Bears have allowed only eight goals in 16 games this year.

“We’re just going to have to get a little creative with [scoring],” Dominguez said. “Give the credit to their defense for not allowing many goals, but that just makes our job this week in practice a lot more difficult. We are going to have to be creative.”

“We can’t be stagnant [on] offense,” Dominguez concluded.

Following the weekend road trip, the Cyclones will return home to finish up their regular season against Oklahoma on Friday, Oct. 26.