King’s Fork High School’s girls’ soccer team had its starting lineup largely eliminated by graduation last year, but it has returned this season looking to improve on last year’s effort. The Lady Bulldogs are well on their way after a strong start that included a 3-1 victory on Tuesday over host Lake Taylor High School.

The win avenged a loss to Lake Taylor in 2012, and returning head coach Sarah Hutzler noted a shift in her team’s quality of play on Tuesday.

“We played a definite better second half after discussing some things at halftime,” she said. “So, it went well. It was a good game. We needed to get a good win like that in before we start district play.”

This was the Lady Bulldogs’ third game of the season after a 4-2 win over Phoebus High School and a 4-4 tie with Green Run High School last week.

Entering this season, many might have thought it would only be a step back from last year’s difficult, losing season. Nine seniors — all starters — graduated in 2012. Nevertheless, new leaders have already emerged.

“I inherited a senior who is really great in the back, and I’ve got a good solid midfield, so things are looking good,” Hutzler said.

The senior in the back, sweeper Khimani Anthony-Wilson, is someone Hutzler says is “short, but she’s quick, and she knows the game very well, so she kind of stepped in as a leader and I made her a captain this year.”

“She transferred in from California,” Hutzler said. “She had played some club teams out there and done some stuff and transferred here to play soccer and go to college.”

Hutzler uses a 3-4-3 formation in which the midfield is composed of two wings, as well as an offensive midfielder and a defensive midfielder. One player that Hutzler has already seen become a leader is freshman Carlee Morse, who occupies a defensive midfield position that was unfamiliar to her.

“I had (my players) set three goals for themselves at the beginning of the year, and one of hers was to learn the position that I had chosen to play her in, and she has done an outstanding job in not only figuring it out, but also leading the team as a ninth-grader,” Hutzler said.

Fellow freshman Logan Montel works with Morse in the center of the field, whence Hutzler indicated most positive developments for the Lady Bulldogs originate.

Montel scored a goal on Tuesday with a header off of a cross. The other two goals were put in by sophomore midfielder Hannah Washburn. Both of her goals were assisted by fellow 10th-grader Lindsay Ransome, whom Hutzler expects to pack much of the team’s offensive punch after leading the team in scoring last season.

“She’s a very quick center forward for me, and she understands the game and knows how to work with the other forwards to make it happen up there,” Hutzler said.

Hutzler explained her goals for the season.

“I hope to possibly come away with one or two more districts wins, kind of make it a 50-50 for us,” she said. “Chesapeake teams are always going to give us a run for our money, but just to show them a good game and along with everyone else in the district.”

In terms of challenges, Hutzler explained that her team has already overcome a major one. She was recently diagnosed with epilepsy, which has at least temporarily limited her ability to be with and coach the team like she has in the past. The team has reacted admirably, rallying around its coach and going the extra mile to help out.

“They’ve been a hundred percent supportive (with) that whole challenge, and working as a team and sometimes having to lead their own practices and just making it work,” she said.

The Lady Bulldogs (2-0-1, 0-0) will take the momentum of their strong start into Thursday’s game against host Smithfield High School.