When it was 1-5, it didn’t look like the ISU women’s soccer team would earn a Big 12 Tournament berth.

Only the top eight of 11 conference teams make the tournament.

But the Cyclones put together a 6-5 record in their final eleven games to earn their sixth-ever berth in the postseason tournament. In preseason polls, the Cyclones were picked to finish ninth.

With seeding yet to be determined, the Cyclones can’t afford to let up in their final conference game against No. 6 Kansas on Friday.

Nonetheless, it is a great feeling for the Cyclones, who missed out last season.

“We don’t want to just show up,” said junior forward Amy Flores. “We’re going into every game believing that we can win and doing everything that we can to win.”

The Cyclones have been tough competition in every conference game this season, with all of their losses coming by only one goal.

Freshman goalie Joanna Haig leads a defense that has been extremely difficult to score on throughout the season. Haig has allowed only 17 goals in 16 games started and has tallied 86 saves with a save percentage of .835.

She shares her enthusiasm with the rest of the team.

“I’m really just excited, but all of the upperclassmen are so pumped that we’re going,” Haig said. “It’s going to be great to play out there. Anything can happen.”

Head coach Rebecca Hornbacher said she’s excited for her team but wants to remain focused on upcoming games before they focus on the tournament.

“We’re obviously very excited about the opportunity to play in the postseason,” Hornbacher said. “It’s a great time to be a part of our soccer program.”

Winning the Big 12 Tournament results in an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, something the Cyclones believe they can achieve.

Iowa State begins its postseason quest Nov. 3. Flores and the Cyclones hope to continue to prove themselves while in San Antonio.

“We’re going to have fun,” Flores said. “It’s a great opportunity for us, and it’s a blast down there.”