The conditions were less than ideal for soccer at the UK Soccer Complex on Sunday afternoon. Neither was Kentucky’s offense. Needing six goals to have a chance at winning the Tropical Smoothie Invitational, the women’s soccer team got off to a strong start against Southeast Missouri. They had multiple opportunities and shots on goal in the first 45, but could not convert on any of those, coming up short, or wide, or high on each attempt.What they failed to convert on in the first half are things that they have been working on in practice every day: getting the ball in the box and putting the ball in the net.”The things we didn’t finish in the first half are things we’ve been working on in training,” said UK head coach John Lipsitz. “I don’t think it’s the conditions. I think when you get tired, especially mentally, you lose some of your discipline to do things the right way, and that’s just something we have to continue to work on.”Kentucky did convert, though, in the second half. And it was in familiar form. On one of several corner kicks Kentucky had on the day, senior midfielder Alyssa Telang delivered a beautiful assist to fellow senior Natalie Horner in the game’s 54th minute as Horner finished it off with header into the net. It was her second goal of the season.”It seems to be an interesting irony that we move players in the forward line back and then they score more,” said Lipsitz. “(Horner)’s fantastic in the air, but she’s equally good with her feet and she led us in both ways this weekend. We saw a hole on the far side, we were serving corner kicks shorter, and she got into that hole and had a great finish.”Horner’s goal would stand as that’s all the offense Kentucky (4-0-0) would need to take the game 1-0 over Southeast Missouri. Horner, along with Arin Gilliland and Olivia Jester, were named to the Tropical Smoothie Invitational All-Tournament team.

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