K-State volleyball coach Suzie Fritz has repeated the importance of playing well on the road all season long.

After falling at Oklahoma on Saturday, the Wildcats are looking to avoid another road loss to Missouri tonight at 6:30.

To get a road win, Fritz said the Wildcats must avoid the slow start that doomed them against the Sooners.

"We played extremely poorly for two of four games," Fritz said. "I felt like we came out very flat at the start of the match. I have no rhyme or reason why, but we played very flat for two games and (were) not even close to what they are capable of doing."

The Wildcats, who are 3-2 on the road in conference play, are still learning how to win away from home on a consistent basis, Fritz said.

"I know what it takes to be a good road team, and I know that we don't have it yet," Fritz said. "We've got to play with more confidence and more focus. It's taken us too long to get our bearings."

The Wildcats will get a chance to prove they can win away from Ahearn Field House in the coming weeks, with matches coming up at Texas and Baylor.

"We have some significant road matches that will make the difference," Fritz said. "The difference between being third and seventh in league is small. It's one road win here or one road win there or taking care of the ones you're supposed to or winning the five-gamers."

Though the Wildcats have had some bright spots, Fritz said her team has lacked intensity on the road.

"We are just flatter, and it hasn't always been the case," Fritz said. "We played very well at Iowa State."

K-State has a 14-1 record against unranked opponents and beat an unranked Missouri team earlier in the season, but the Wildcats haven't beaten the Tigers in Columbia, Mo., since 2004.

The game will be broadcast on 1350 KMAN from the Hearnes Center in Columbia.