Big 12 Soccer Roundup | Week 9
IRVING, Texas – Baylor soccer fell to third in the Big 12 conference after their hard-fought draw with Texas on Friday. Baylor still sits just outside the national rankings, while Texas rose to #21. There were also three more conference games on Sunday, and as the regular season is nearing its end, which teams will make the Big 12 tournament in Round Rock is starting to become slightly clearer.
So, let’s take a look around the rest of the conference to understand the path to the finish.
Iowa State lost to Texas Tech 2-1 thanks to a late rally by the Red Raiders that included an 85th-minute winner. On Sunday, #11 TCU visited Ames and thrashed the Cyclones 3-0. Iowa State finishes conference play at Baylor, vs Oklahoma, and at Kansas State. At least one win is needed for them to possibly make the Big 12 tournament.
Texas Tech finished their week in Morgantown with a 2-0 loss to the Mountaineers. The Raiders have just two Big 12 games left, hosting Kansas then TCU. Tech currently sits fifth in the conference and should make it to the conference tournament in Round Rock.
West Virginia went 1-1 last week losing 1-0 at home to TCU before bouncing back against Texas Tech. The Mountaineers dropped from the rankings this week but are still receiving votes. They finish conference play at Texas, at Baylor, and home vs Oklahoma State.
TCU reminded everyone in the Big 12 that any slip-up could mean a repeat for the Frogs. With their 1-0 win over WVU and the 3-0 dismantling of ISU, the Horned Frogs are back to second in the Big 12 just 0.04 points per game behind Texas. They also rose back to #11 in the national rankings and took home Big 12 defender of the week and goalkeeper of the week honors thanks to Brandi Peterson and Lauren Kellett respectively. TCU finishes vs Kansas State and at Texas Tech.
A week after earning two impressive draws, Kansas State dropped both of their games. Oklahoma State topped them 2-0, and Oklahoma beat them 2-1. The Wildcats finish the conference season at TCU and home vs Iowa State. They will need at least a draw coupled with Kansas losing out to make it to the Big 12 tournament.
Oklahoma State played just one game last week, taking three points from Kansas State. One more result, whether a tie or a draw should see them safely into the conference tournament, but they finish with three road contests: at Oklahoma, at Texas, and at West Virginia.
Oklahoma breathed new life into their season last week winning twice to put themselves at 2-4-0 in conference. The Sooners’ games were close, beating Kansas 3-2 and Kansas State 2-1. Like their in-state rivals, another good result could see them make it to Round Rock. They finish vs OSU, at ISU, and vs Baylor. Two Sooners also won weekly awards from the conference with Leonie Weber ending the five-week run of Longhorns winning Freshman of the week and Megan Reilly winning attacker of the week.
Kansas could not keep their momentum from beating WVU and Baylor going, losing their only game of the week to Oklahoma thanks to an 85th-minute goal. Like I’ve said for everyone in the bottom half of the conference, one win or draw will be the difference between finishing eight or higher and missing the conference tournament. The Jayhawks only have a trip to Lubbock and a visit from the Longhorns left.
As Baylor fans know, Texas and Baylor played to a 0-0 draw in their only match of the week. Texas remains atop the Big 12 with 2.33 points per game while Baylor fell to third place at 1.83 points per game. Texas finishes vs West Virginia, vs Oklahoma State, and at Kansas. If the Horns draw even one of these games, they could lose the regular-season crown to TCU.
Everything will be clear a week from now, with just the last matchday left when the week 10 roundup comes out. It could all still be undecided then with every team playing that Thursday, but whether Baylor will still have a shot at the regular-season Big 12 title will be known by Sunday night.