Iowa State will look to end a two-game skid in a matchup with the No. 20 Baylor Bears in Waco, Texas at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The Cyclones are 4-3-2 this season. After a moderately successful start to the season, they got hot as conference play approached. Iowa State closed out the non-conference schedule with a pair of dominant wins over North Dakota and Northern Iowa. A 1-0 victory over Arizona to begin Big 12 play kept the momentum rolling and marked the first time the Cyclones have won three straight since 2016.
Since reaching that high point, Iowa State has lost two straight. A 3-1 loss to Colorado ended the winning streak. Texas Tech then beat the Cyclones 2-0 in Ames. They now enter a tough stretch with back-to-back matches against ranked teams, first at No. 20 Baylor, then at No. 7 TCU.
This next stretch will be a pivotal part of the season. Last year, after beating Kansas in the conference opener, Iowa State went winless for the rest of the season. If it can rebound with a win, it would be a huge step towards having its most successful season in recent memory.
Meanwhile, the Bears have found success this season with a 7-1-2 record. They have two ranked wins over No. 17 Mississippi State and No. 14 Kansas and their only loss came against Texas Tech. They have picked up two 3-0 victories in a row, first against Kansas and then against Kansas State.
Tyler Isgrig leads Baylor in points. She has seven goals and eight assists on the season, which puts her in the lead in both categories.
The Cyclones lack that kind of on-field leadership. While having multiple people who can score can be a huge benefit, there hasn’t been a player who has really set themselves apart as the team’s top scorer.
Isgrig has 22 total points, while Iowa State’s leading scorer, sophomore midfielder Morgan Goodman, has seven.
The Bears have simply played a more high-scoring brand of soccer than the Cyclones up to this point. They’ve played one more game, but have scored 29 goals to Iowa State’s 14.
The Cyclones have shown great defense. They’ve only allowed 10 goals, while Baylor has allowed 25. If they can slow the Bears’ offense and stay in the game through solid defense, Iowa State may be able to capitalize with a goal and snag a victory.
Iowa State will be up against history on Thursday, as it is 8-21-3 against Baylor in the all-time series. The Cyclones’ last win over the Bears came in a double overtime thriller in 2020, and they have not won in Waco since 2016. Last year, the two squads tied 1-1.
Thursday’s match could establish Iowa State as a contender in the Big 12 if it can secure a victory over Baylor.
The match will take place at 7 p.m. at Betty Lou Mays Field in Waco, and will be livestreamed on ESPN+.
