ISU women’s head soccer coach Tony Minatta felt his team did not compete to their potential in their loss on Sunday, Sept. 28. 

Iowa State lost 2-0 against Baylor on Sunday as well as 1-0 against Oklahoma State on Friday, Sept. 26. For this upcoming weekend, the main focus has been on competing.

“Friday night we came out and played really well,” Minatta said. “We need to get back to playing as that team. You’ve got to take it a little step further because, although we created chances, we didn’t put any away. We have to get the end product and finish off those chances. But it’s about competing.”

Another stress the Cyclones have is focusing on themselves getting better and not so much on the opposing team.

Sophomore Koree Willer said they are working hard to play ‘their type of soccer’ and not let other teams dominate their play to dictate the outcome.

“For me at this point, I’ll say the same thing I did when we took on Iowa: I’m more concerned about the standard of play that we have, and going out there and doing things the right way—the way we’re capable of doing it,” Minatta said.

Minatta said he wants to see the effort and energy on Friday and Sunday—not just one day out of the two. The Cyclones will take on the Texas Longhorns, who are 6-4-2 on the season, on Friday, Oct. 3 and the Oklahoma Sooners, who are 6-3-2 on the season, on Sunday, Oct. 5.

Iowa State will be searching for its first Big 12 win of the season.

“This coming weekend, we really need to come together as a team and rise up,” said sophomore Madi Ott. “I think we need to focus on leadership on the field. Each person has to bring their individual work ethic and good attitudes on the field, come together and play like we’re capable of.”

The goal and expectation for this weekend is two wins.

“Obviously, we just want to get two wins out of the weekend,” Ott said. “We really need to focus on connecting passes, simple things, simple plays and just working hard and coming together. If we do what we do in practice—work hard and play the way we’re capable of—there’s no reason we can’t win the games.”

The Cyclones will take on the Longhorns at 7 p.m. on Friday at the Cyclone Sports Complex and the Sooners at 1 p.m. on Sunday at home as well.