SOC Closes Out Homestand With Iowa State, West Virginia

BAYLOR VS. IOWA STATE
Thursday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.
Betty Lou Mays Field
Video: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

BAYLOR VS. WEST VIRGINIA
Sunday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m.
Betty Lou Mays Field
Video: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

BAYLOR BEARS
2021 Record: 7-3-5
Head Coach: Paul Jobson
Career: 96-55-25 (9^th season)
BU: 96-55-25 (9^th season)

IOWA STATE CYCLONES
2021 Record: 4-9-0
Head Coach: Matt Fannon
Career Record: 92-68-21 (9^th Season)
ISU Record: 7-15-4 (2^nd Season)

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS
2021 Record: 9-4-2
Head Coach: Nikki Izzo-Brown
Career Record: 384-131-58 (28^th Season)
WVU Record: 371-126-58 (27^th Season)

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Facing two teams that have been on the opposite end of the spectrum in the Big 12 over the last decade, Baylor soccer (7-3-5, 3-1-2) will host Iowa State (4-9-0, 1-4-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday and West Virginia (9-4-2, 3-2-1) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Betty Lou Mays Field.
            West Virginia won the Big 12 title five years in a row after transitioning from the Big East and has finished in the top two all but once. On the flip side, the Cyclones have been last five times and finished in the top four just once in that same stretch.
            Sitting at the bottom of the standings again, Iowa State has been outscored, 11-2, in five conference games and is coming off a 3-0 loss at home to TCU.
            "Iowa State is a hungry team right now, they've been close for most of the season," said Baylor coach Paul Jobson, whose team is coming off a 0-0, double-overtime tie against now-No. 21 Texas. "They're always tough, they beat us last year (2-1 in Ames), they're athletic and they're just a tough team to play."
            While the Cyclones are trying to move up a couple spots to get into the eight-team Big 12 tournament, the Bears sit in third place and could still grab at least a share of the conference regular-season title with a little help.
            Chasing Texas (4-0-2) and 11^th-ranked TCU (5-1-1), Baylor can finish with as many as 20 points with three wins, but would still need the Longhorns and Horned Frogs to lose at least once. The Bears own the head-to-head over TCU with last month's 2-1 win in Fort Worth.
            "There's always a couple of games you wish would have gone a different direction," Jobson said. "You're a goal or two away, but we've got three games left and still have an opportunity. We may need somebody to falter a little bit, too. But, if you look at the conference from top to bottom, there's still a lot left to be decided."
            Last time out, Baylor shut down Texas' dynamic trio of Lexi Missimo, Trinity Byars and Julia Grosso, surviving a 7-1 difference in shots in the two overtime periods.
            "The further I get away from kind of the emotion of the game and look at things realistically, it was a great match for us," Jobson said. "I think both teams are walking away from that and going, 'We maybe could have won, but I'm glad we didn't lose.' I think us being able to shut down probably one of the best combinations of a threesome in the country, was pretty good."
            Since a 3-2 win over Texas Tech on Sept. 30, the Bears have netted just one goal in their last three games, falling at Kansas, 2-1, and settling for back-to-back scoreless draws against Kansas State and Texas.
            "If we're not creating opportunities, I'm more worried than I am if we're creating opportunities and not scoring," Jobson said. "Attacking players have to have a similar mentality as a goalkeeper. If a goalkeeper gives up a goal, they've got to wash that out of their minds pretty quickly because there's another one coming.
            "Same thing with an attacking player. If you miss a shot or wish you would have done it a little bit differently, you've got to put that to the back of your mind and move on, because there's another one coming. While there's frustration in the moment, I think our girls have done a good job of moving on to the next thing and being ready."
            West Virginia was in the rankings before back-to-back losses to Kansas and TCU. The Mountaineers and Bears are 45^th and 46^th, respectively, in the RPI rankings and just outside of the Top 25 in the coaches' poll.
            "Obviously, West Virginia is the storied, kind of powerhouse of the conference and seem to be having a little bit of a down year," Jobson said. "But, a powerhouse having a down year isn't like some other teams having a down year. They're really, really good and athletic and are still going to be one of the contenders at the end of the day in the conference and NCAA tournament."
            Both games will be streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+, with live scoring available at baylorbears.com.

STORY LINES

Baylor is set to host Iowa State and West Virginia for the last two home games of the 2021 season.
The Bears will face Iowa State (4-9-0) Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. and West Virginia Sunday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. The Mountaineers are currently ranked No.19 by Top Drawer Soccer.
Sunday's game will mark Senior Night for the Bears where five seniors and three super seniors will be honored after the game.
The Bears are coming off of a double overtime draw with No. 25 Texas where neither team was awarded a goal.
Baylor currently leads the all-time record against Iowa State 18-8-2.
West Virginia currently holds the all-time record against Baylor 7-2-1
In last Friday's matchup against Texas, the Bears backline and Jennifer Wandt shutout an opponent for the sixth time this season and the second time in Big 12 play.
Bears are looking to tally their first win since Sept. 30 where they took down Texas Tech 3-2. They have still only suffered one loss in Big 12 play and sit in the top three in conference standings.
Eight Baylor starters (Sarah Hornyak, Sarah Norman, Kayley Ables, Gabby Mueller, Jennifer Wandt, Ally Henderson-Ashkinos, and Ava Colberg) played all 110 minutes in the match against Texas
Baylor held Texas to just four shots on goal resulting in only four saves for goalkeeper, Wandt. The Bears defense also recorded four blocks fighting off the Longhorns offense before the shot made it to Wandt.
Leading in shots last week were Taylor Moon and Sarah Hornyak who each recorded three against Texas.
Baylor tied a season high in corner kicks with eight after putting eight for the first time this season against Kansas State.
Playing quality minutes off the bench were Giuliana Cunningham recording 10 minutes, Olivia Mack recording 32 minutes and a shot on goal, and Chloe Brown recording 10 minutes.
The Bears will head to Norman next Thursday to close out their regular season at Oklahoma before traveling to Round Rock for the Big 12 soccer tournament that will begin on Oct. 31.
In the Top Drawer Soccer Top 100 National Freshman - Midseason update, freshman Ava Colberg made the list at number 38.

SOC Closes Out Homestand With Iowa State, West Virginia

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Players Mentioned

Kayley Ables

Chloe Brown

Ava Colberg

Giuliana Cunningham

Ally Henderson-Ashkinos

Sarah Hornyak

Olivia Mack

Taylor Moon

Gabby Mueller

Sarah Norman

Jennifer Wandt

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