After a 3-0 setback to visiting Bethesda-Chevy Chase in yesterday's Class 2A South region final, Southern girls soccer coach John Sis talked to his team about continuing to make up ground.

For this season, which closed out at 6-8-1 for the Bulldogs, it was another trip to the region final, an upset win over Old Mill and a tie against Broadneck.

"We're raising the bar at Southern, trying to set a higher standard," Sis said. "Every year I ask the players to try to improve on something, have pride. We're very happy with the direction the program is going."

Yesterday, the Bulldogs simply didn't have a player able to stop Bethesda sophomore striker Natasha Mann, who scored in the sixth and 10th minute to give the visitors a quick 2-0 lead and then put the game out of reach with her third goal in the second half. The Barons, from Montgomery County, are now 8-0, and have yet to allow a goal.

The Bulldogs, outshot 22-5, had one opportunity to get within range in the final minute of the first half, but Bethesda keeper Mary Creighton got to a cross a second before Southern forward Melissa Line to keep the score at 2-0.

"We didn't play very smart defense early and were never able to recover once we got down two goals," Sis said.