For the second straight weekend the ISU gymnastics team will be on the road, taking on a rival.

Iowa State will take on No. 15 Nebraska to close out the Big 12 season Friday and look to avenge a loss suffered earlier in the season to the Cornhuskers.

The Cyclones are coming off one of their worst performances of the year, after having been beaten by Iowa 195.350-192.650 last Friday.

“This week has been about getting our confidence back,” Ashley Kent said. “We know we’re a good team – we know we can hit our routines, so we’ve kind of just been having fun in the gym this week and hitting our routines like we know we can.”

With trips to Nebraska, Georgia and Oklahoma in the next three weekends, the Cyclones are excited to be living out of their suitcases.

“Roadtrips are just interesting – especially on the bus. We’re all goofing off and it’s just a really relaxed time,” Jasmine Thompson said.

Thompson said sophomore Jody McKellar and freshman Jacquelyn Holmes keep the team loose on the road by acting crazy and cracking jokes.

“It’s my personality – I’m kind of hyperactive,” McKellar said. “When we’re together we usually find ways to make each other laugh.”

McKellar said she doesn’t try to be the class clown of the team, but it just comes naturally.

The Cyclones have already lost their first four road meets this season, but the next three weekends will give Iowa State an opportunity to forget about their troubles on the road earlier in the year.

“It’s a great time for all 15 of us to hang out. We’ll get music going, and we’ll dance, and we’ll just laugh a lot and have fun,” Kent said.

Iowa State lost its first meeting with Nebraska this season 193.500-192.475 in the season opener. Nebraska’s Maria Scaffidi won the all-around title in the first matchup.

The Cyclones are 1-7 this season, with all seven losses coming to teams currently in the top 25. The Cyclones’ lone win this season came against in-state rival Iowa.

Iowa State is 0-3 in conference meets and is looking to avoid going winless in the Big 12 for the first time since 1993.

Nebraska is 6-4 this season with all four losses coming to teams who were in the top 10. The Cornhuskers are 2-1 in conference meets and a win against Iowa State would ensure Nebraska a second place finish in the Big 12.

The Cornhuskers are coming off of a triangular meet in which they lost to No. 9 Stanford and defeated No. 6 Alabama.

Friday’s meet with Nebraska starts at 7 p.m. in Lincoln, Neb. The meet will be webcast on Clone Zone at www.cyclones.com.