For the ISU volleyball team, momentum has been hard to come by this season.

With a non-conference schedule that featured two current RPI top-5 teams, as well as an always-rigorous Big 12 slate, winning streaks have been hard to come by for Iowa State.

Sitting at 13-9 overall and 5-6 in the Big 12, RPI No. 18 Iowa State has likely locked up a spot in the NCAA Tournament. However, it has yet to establish much momentum, with wins and losses alternating like a long volley.

Despite its up-and-down season, Iowa State might have found a spark. The Cyclones have won their past six sets in a resume-boosting win at home vs. then-No. 24 Kansas State on Nov. 5 as well as in its first conference road win at West Virginia on Nov. 8.

In that span, Iowa State notched its first conference winning streak.

To build that streak to three, Iowa State will head to Norman, Oklahoma, to take on RPI No. 24 Oklahoma (17-7, 8-3 Big 12).

“I think Oklahoma tends to play really, really good at home,” said ISU coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “They can get on rolls, defensive rolls that can really frustrate you. I don’t think they were able to do that here [in a 3-1 loss to Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum on Oct. 12].”

Johnson-Lynch was correct in assessing Oklahoma’s dominance at home. The Sooners have yet to lose at McCasland Field House this season, though they still await home matches against their two toughest Big 12 foes, Texas and Kansas State.

The combination of Oklahoma’s home court prowess as well as Iowa State’s 1-5 road conference record is likely to work against the Cyclones. Nonetheless, Iowa State knows it can hang with Oklahoma after its win at home exactly one month before the two teams would match up for the second time.

To come out victorious, Iowa State knows it will have to match up with Oklahoma’s strong defensive unit.

“I think they’re really good in every aspect, but I think it’s going to come down to defense because they’re really known for their ball handling,” said junior libero Caitlin Nolan. “I think it’s going to be defense, serve and pass — which team can do that better.”

Along with defense, Iowa State will be up against the No. 1 serving team in the conference in terms of service aces. As a team, Oklahoma averages 1.50 service aces per set and features the conference leader in service aces, Kierra Holst, who averages 0.51 per set.

Though a stronger test awaits Iowa State in Norman in comparison to bottom-feeder West Virginia, its win in Morgantown after a handful of heart-wrenching road defeats could lead to success on the road against stronger competition.

“There’s a weight lifted off, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to win [at] Oklahoma and Kansas,” said freshman defensive specialist Branen Berta in regards to her team’s final two road matches. “I think after that win, we’ve all been driven to keep winning on the road.”

First serve will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at McCasland Field House in Norman, Oklahoma.