After having their seven-game win streak snapped on the road against Kansas, Baylor soccer looks to return to its winning ways at home against Oklahoma tonight and No. 17 Texas Tech on Sunday.
“There are things from every game, win or lose, that you can take from it and get better at,” said head coach Paul Jobson. “Our philosophy is getting better every day. We were able to take quite a few things from that game, not because we lost.”
Adding on to the excitement of tonight’s conference game, it is Scarf Night, where the first 200 fans in attendance receive a free scarf.
“The reality is that the majority of that game we played well enough to win,” Jobson said. “And that’s the bad thing about our sport is you can outplay a team, you can underplay a team, and it doesn’t dictate the result.”
The Bears (7-5-1, 2-1-0 Big 12) take on the Sooners (8-5-2 overall, 1-1-2 Big 12) at 8 p.m. tonight at Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field.
The Sooners are a tough team that can compete with the top teams, Jobson said.
“They’re a good team with some really good pieces,” Jobson said. “They took West Virginia to double overtime and tied West Virginia, who’s No. 4 in the country. They’ve got some ability and they’re very well organized defensively.”
The Sooners are going to have a tough time getting through junior goalkeeper Sara Martinson, who has a .731 save percentage.
“She’s come back from a massive injury and worked her tail off to get that starting spot. I’m just really proud of her and what she’s been able to do,” Jobson said. “Our defense doesn’t get any credit. They do a great job, and Sara’s a great piece of that.”
Oklahoma head coach Matt Potter playing at Betty Lou Mays Field consistently presents a challenge to visiting teams.
“Baylor’s a very tough place to go,” Potter said. “We’re playing well, but we’re not finishing in the manner that has allowed us to have the season that were having so far.
The Bears will also be in action at home 1 p.m. Sunday against Texas Tech (8-2-4, 1-1-2 Big 12).
The Red Raiders have been strong offensively, averaging more shots on goal than any of their opponents.
“They’re always a tough team for us to play,” Jobson said. “We’ve known [Texas Tech head coach Tom Stone] for a long time, He coached Marci [Jobson] professionally, so that’s always kind of a fun like personal rivalry between the two of us.”
Jobson said the intensity of the rivalry with Texas Tech goes beyond the intensity of it being a Big 12 opponent.
Many players from both teams previously played at the club and high school level together. There is a personal tie between the players in the rivalry, Jobson said.
“That rivalry is a little bigger for our team than most, just because we know each other. It’s a friendly rivalry, but they’re a really good team.”
The Bears just need to focus on one game at a time, Jobson said.
“We’re not to the point of the season where there are any must wins,” Jobson said. “Right now, that’s our goal is to make sure we’re in the Big 12 Tournament. If we can get one more win this weekend, I don’t know if it would lock us, but we would be really close.”
