Onward to Ames

Oklahoma at Iowa State
Oct. 5 | 1 p.m. | Ames, Iowa

Player to Watch
Abby Hodgen // Sr. // Midfielder Senior captain Abby Hodgen will be a crucial leader on the field for Oklahoma as the squad enters Big 12 play. Hodgen leads Oklahoma in shots (18) and shots on goal (8) this fall, and is one of 10 OU team members to have scored a goal this season. Hodgen scored all three goals of her junior campaign in matches against Big 12 opponents.

SOONER NOTEBOOK: NOTES FOR WEEK SEVEN

1. BEGINNING BIG 12
The Oklahoma soccer team opens Big 12 play this weekend with road matches at Texas Tech and Iowa State, marking the first time since 2008 that OU has opened conference action with back-to-back road matches. The Sooners are set to face No. 10 Texas Tech on Friday night in Lubbock before challenging Iowa State in Ames on Sunday afternoon. The Big 12 is the only conference in the nation in which every team has a winning percentage of .500 or better, while five conference teams (including Oklahoma) are ranked in the top 30 of the latest NCAA RPI.

2. DOUBLE DIGITS
Last weekend, Chelsea Jackson became the 10th Sooner this season to score a goal with her game-winner against Oral Roberts. Oklahoma is one of only three conference teams with a double-digit total of goal scorers this season, joining West Virginia (11) and Kansas (10). Of OU's team members to score goals, four are true freshmen, four have multiple goals and five also have at least one assist.

3. DEPTH STILL KEY
With the grind of the conference slate approaching, Oklahoma has continued to rely on its deep roster for a fresh look this season. OU has played at least 17 team members in each of its 11 matches, including a season-high 25 in a 5-0 blowout win over Central Arkansas. Three Sooner goalkeepers have seen action on the field this season, and 15 different Sooners have notched at least one start in 2014.

4. ANOTHER TOP-10 TEST
Friday night's match against No. 10 Texas Tech will mark the third time this season OU has faced a top-10 opponent. The Sooners are 1-1-0 in those contests, with a win over Florida and a loss to Florida State at the end of August. Oklahoma is 2-1-0 overall against top-25 opponents and has not surrendered multiple goals to a top-25 foe yet in 2014.

5. ROAD TO KANSAS CITY
The start of Big 12 play means the Sooners are on the road to Kansas City and the Big 12 soccer championship again. OU narrowly missed qualification for the conference tournament last season after qualifying in three consecutive seasons from 2010-12.