MCALLEN – The Bulldogs are on a roll, riding an 18-game win streak.

“Preseason could have gone better but we can together as a team,” said junior defender Emily Gurwitz. “Communication more, passing more, and overall playing as a team. Defense, offense, and midfield.”

McAllen’s roster is full of underclassmen. Only a pair of seniors start.

Five Bulldogs have scored at least 16 goals. Sophia Soto leads the way with 26 strikes. Ava Alaniz is right behind her with 24.

“Last year Anna Hover was a great scorer,” said coach Patrick Arney. “She scored 65 goals, so I was a bit worried. The girls have really taken that to heart. We’ve got more scorers this year. There’s a lot of different options.”

“We play more as a team on the field,” said sophomore midfielder Ava Alaniz. “Everybody is getting the ball. We spread out to a bunch of different people. I think the team chemistry is a lot better and we all rely on each other. It’s been working for us, especially against higher quality teams.”

Next up for the Bulldogs, San Antonio Johnson in the regional semifinals. McAllen has gone this deep in the postseason seven times, but they’ve one just once. That happened back in 2007.

“We just know that we can’t give up,” said sophomore forward Sophia Soto. “Those teams are always going to think they have the upper edge against us. We just have to stay positive and work together. We can’t be letting each other down.”

Friday’s match kicks off at 3PM at the Blossom Athletic Center in San Antonio.