Movement, motion and pace. That’s what will determine the fate of the Hazen girls soccer team this season.

Second-year head coach Ken Matthews has set big goals and a fast pace for this group. Can they keep it up?

“As long as we maintain the pace and mobility we want on the field, that’s our X factor,” Matthews said. “That will take us a long, long way. If we don’t do that we’ll be another also-ran.”

The biggest change for the Highlanders is a new offensive attack Matthews installed this offseason. The change will put senior Lexi Garvin, who plays attacking mid position, in more of a scoring role.

Garvin will share the major offensive load with Kayla Hackman, who Matthews wants to work for more assists this season.

Garvin totaled seven goals and 11 assists last season.

Hackman, a senior striker, scored 28 goals last season, which led the Seamount.

Another key player is junior keeper Priscilla Yu. Yu started every game last season. She collected eight shutouts and saved 94 percent of shots on goal.

Both Hackman and Yu were all-Seamount, first-team selections last season. Garvin made the second team.

On defense seniors Erin Anderson and Sam Zyskowski both made the all-league second team. Other key players are senior Katelyn Mellinger and junior Sarah Schoville. Mellinger scored four goals while Schoville collected four assists.

Hazen has six freshmen on the varsity roster. Of those six, Gabbie Brower (defender), Chelsea Delgado (outside midfielder) and Cindy Hanson (central midfielder) will start.

Matthews said the team had 16 freshmen try out this season and three more are talented enough to start on varsity, if not for the players ahead of them.

“There are some really good players in the pipeline for us,” Matthews said. “We’re excited for that because it bodes really well for us.”

Hazen had 25 girls in the program last season and is up to 38 this season. Matthews said the quality of the players is what’s impressive.

“Literally, all 18 of the girls on the varsity roster could start and we

wouldn’t be in a bad way,” he said. “If we do have an injury right now we have plenty of players to step in.”

The Highlanders impressed early at a jamboree Sept. 4. Twenty-one teams showed up and Hazen topped Mercer Island 1-0. The Islanders finished fourth in state last year and were a good test for Hazen. Hazen later took on West Seattle and lost.

Hazen started its regular season schedule with a 4-1, non-league win against Aberdeen Sept. 7.

Bri Sherin, Melissa Carney, Marina Vaughn and Hackman scored goals in the game. Schoville, Sherin, Mellinger and Vaughn all had assists.