The Mexico girls soccer program is looking for progress this season.

After doubling their win total from the previous year, the Lady Bulldogs want to improve on the six wins earned last season. Five of Mexico’s losses were decided by two goals, including the season-ending 3-1 loss in districts to Veritas Christian Academy.

Head coach Sarah Olson said the program has had around five wins in the last 11 years and wants to mainly see that number increase this year.

“We had a lot of close games last year,” Olson said. “We just let some things in defensively. Although, we were scoring more. It’s just cleaning things up a little bit.”

Mexico has 35 total on the roster and usually carries about 18-20 players on varsity, though Olson hadn’t decided on a specific number. Olson said two key senior players, Claire Hudson and Kenley Jones, are making a state quarterfinal basketball run so they haven’t been brought into the fold yet.

Heading into her fourth year as head coach, Olson said the roster is “split” with experienced and inexperienced soccer players. Olson said those experienced players are well-versed in the game and Mexico’s culture from recording minutes as freshmen due to lower roster numbers years back.

Olson’s defensive line jumps out to her as an area of strength and has good senior leadership in Jones and Addison Paden. Emily Moppin brings senior presence to the midfield, and Hudson is a scoring threat at forward. Marali Herrera is an experienced junior in the midfield.

“Those are some of the key people who were starters and are coming back to hold down the fort,” Olson said.

Olson said she is looking forward to seeing how girls like Kaili Cox and Bailey Christianson develop with more time on the pitch this season. Zoey Norton is a newcomer with “quite a bit of a background in soccer” for Mexico this year after moving in from Utah.

Mexico allowed less than four goals per game for the second straight year and posted a five-year scoring high at 1.5 goals per game. Olson said the Lady Bulldogs doubled their goals last season so she hopes they have even more this season.

“We’re building year after year and have been building things up,” Olson said. “We just have more experience, so that does help. There’s a lot of quickness. There are some fast girls, but the experience builds in a little bit more knowledge into the game, and therefore, decision-making.”