The Mexico girls were learning much last season and hopes the main thing they learn this season is how to win games.

After finishing last year 5-20, including three losses decided by one goal, the Lady Bulldogs are hoping more experience leads to progress for the program.

A change for the team this season is head coach Sarah Olson, who has served as an assistant coach before being promoted this offseason. Olson said the defense improved from two years ago from 6.1 goals allowed to 4.4 and it expects to be the team’s strongest feature again this season.

“I expect our defense to be pretty solid this year,” Olson said. “We have a couple girls who have really settled into a role and have learned how to play it.
“Last season, we had a team that was very much still learning the game of soccer. We had some good wins and tough loses. One of our goals this season is to play teams a little closer and to get some more wins.”

Olson will have two key pieces to help the defensive side of the equation as two of Mexico’s three postseason honorees are returning. Senior Tessa Haefling will be in goal after a big season of 322 saves that netted second-team nods on the all-North Central Missouri Conference and all-district teams. Sophomore Kenley Jones was one of the Lady Bulldogs’ best defenders who earned an all-district honorable mention.

The offense will need some improvement, Olson said, as Mexico has averaged less than two goals per game each of the last nine seasons, including 1.2 last year.

“An aspect that will need to get stronger is moving forward as a unit toward the goal,” Olson said.

The Lady Bulldogs still have a decent amount of upperclassmen at six seniors and four juniors, Olson said, but more than half are still underclassmen.
Mexico plays at 5 p.m. Friday at Jefferson City.