The Cyclone offense got rolling early with a goal from Mira Emma less than five minutes into the match. The Iowa State lead was not enough as Baylor’s Reneta Vargas tied the game 13 minutes later, and the match ended with a 3-2 Cyclone loss.

Eva Steckelberg gave the Cyclones a 2-1 lead with less than eight minutes remaining in the first half. Emma stayed involved and was credited with the assist on the play. The Cyclone lead was short-lived again as Elizabeth Kooiman tied the match 2-2 with 90 seconds left in the first half.

Vargas scored her second goal of the game with 3:10 remaining. Vargas’ game-winning goal iced the game for the Bears and handed Iowa State their fifth straight loss.

Another late-game goal doomed the Cyclones, a common theme as the season has continued. Oklahoma scored three goals in the final eight minutes against Iowa State earlier this season.

Emma contributed to both the Cyclone goals, as she had a goal and an assist on the night.

“Mira [Emma] is a leader, and she got after it,” Iowa State head coach Matt Fannon said. “You saw the passion, commitment and intensity.”

It was a tale of two halves as there were four goals scored between the teams in the first half. The second half did not see a goal until Vargas made it a 3-2 Baylor lead with 3:10 left to play.

“We have created so many opportunities and haven’t quite managed to put the ball over the line,” Fannon said. “Sometimes soccer is cruel, and it got us tonight.”

The Cyclones have now lost five in a row as the regular season is winding down.

Iowa State will have a chance to snap its losing streak against Oklahoma State at 1 p.m. Sunday in Stillwater, Oklahoma.