Baylor Soccer Opens Big 12 Play with a Visit from No. 15 Oklahoma State

WACO, Texas — Baylor Soccer (5-2), fresh off of a challenging two-game road trip, is preparing for its Big 12 opener against No. 15 Oklahoma State (6-0-1) on Thursday evening. The trip included a very good win over SMU 2-1 and a tough 3-0 loss to the No. 22 Iowa Hawkeyes. 

Here are the things to know heading into the game:

Lessons from Iowa

• The Bears were tied 0-0 until the 57th minute when Iowa scored against the run of play.
• The Bears had a one chance saved on the Iowa goal line ad a good shout for a penalty in the second half before Iowa scored.
• Baylor only conceded a second goal in the 85th minute. 
• The Bears were out-shot 21-7 while being fouled 18 times compared to eight going the other way.
• Iowa’s press caused huge problems for Baylor tactically in the first half.

Quotes from Head Coach Michelle Lenard

“Context is meaningful here. I was frustrated that we went into a game where our opponent hadn't played on Thursday and we had. I thought that that was a big disadvantage for us. And we talked after the game about how we need to be able to overcome that.”

On her postgame tweets: “I thought it'd be helpful for [fans, recruits, etc.] to get an insider look at what was going on with the team and understand, not to make excuses for ourselves.”

“We just were tactically mismatched in the first half. honestly, like we did not set them up for success tactically. so we made some adjustments toward the end of the first half that I thought started to get us some momentum… once we shifted some players around and got us in a better organized shape, we were able to create some of the things we wanted to create. And I thought we were unfortunate not to have one.”

“We're rebounding. It was extremely physical. And that was one of my frustrations. It was something like 20 to nine in fouls, and I think they had one yellow card, and we had three. So it made no sense, and I didn't think the ref controlled the game well. But sometimes we're going to play games like that, and our team has to find ways to overcome it.”

Redshirt sophomore defender Natalie Vatter on what the team is taking away from the game:

“I think it was actually a really good game for us. I think we learned a lot. It's definitely a long trip, but at the end of the day, like we learned a lot from the game, and we can take a lot out of it and apply that into future games.”

“The seven games that we've played, we've played some top teams, and I think that'll really beneficial in the future. “

On to Oklahoma State

• The Cowgirls are ranked No. 15 in the nation by the United Soccer Coaches Poll, one of two ranked Big 12 teams (No. 19 Colorado)
• Oklahoma State has allowed zero goals through their first seven games
• Notable game results for the Pokes include wins over preseason No. 6 Nebraska and Oklahoma, plus a tie with Texas State.
• Their schedule by-and-large appears weaker than Baylor’s to date.

Michelle Lenard on Oklahoma State:

“They're going to be somewhat of a mix between the last two teams that we played. They're certainly capable of being physical. I don't know if it's to the same degree that Iowa was, but they're very physical when they want to be. They can keep it though and build a little bit more like SMU. “

“They've had a great season so far, but I don't know that they've played as tough of a schedule as we have, and so I think that we can show show them some things that they haven't seen yet, and test them and challenge them in ways that maybe they haven't been tested.“

“I’m not thinking about [their defensive record] really. We're just trying to score. Whether they've been scored on or not, doesn't matter to me.” 

“We feel ready. We played a tough opening schedule. We put ourselves in positions to grow and be challenged right away, and we feel like we've learned some good lessons. We're coming out five and two, which is the goal that we set for ourselves. After the first seven games, we're right where we want to be. It's the start of a new season now going into conference play. We want to be competitive at the top of the conference, so we expect a good performance tomorrow.” 

Senior goalkeeper Azul Alvarez on starting Big 12 play:

“I’m honestly just really excited. This is my first time, really to play [the Big 12] on the field, so it's always nerve wracking, but I'm super excited.”

“I'm just really blessed for the coaching staff at Baylor to give me another opportunity. So like, my mentality in every game, I just think of it as a final.“

“Honestly, every game I'm excited… I don't really care if they're ranked or not, a game is a game, and I feel like our team's really good. If they're ranked or not, I feel like we could beat them.”

Natalie Vatter on the Big 12 Opener:

“We were definitely a little beat up after the Iowa game. It was a long road trip for us, but I think we're excited. It's our big 12 opener, and at home, and I'm sure we'll get a good crowd out here.” 

“I think we're all excited and going in with some confidence. We're five and two, so we're at where we wanted to be.”

The Bottom Line

This team is hungry. After getting to where they want to be, the Bears are a bit ticked they did not get more.

The game against Oklahoma State is a chance to send a message loud and clear to the Big 12 that the Green and Gold will be in the thick of what is shaping up to be a wide-open race for the conference crown.

That journey starts Thursday at Betty Lou Mayes Field. Kickoff is set for 7 PM with the game available to watch on ESPN+.