By Brent IngramFor many freshmen, adjusting to the first semester of their collegiate careers, while also managing the strains of debuting on the soccer field, can be a difficult transition. Kentucky sophomore midfielder Napo Matsoso managed that transition well as a freshman in 2013, immediately emerging as one of the top players in talent-laden Conference USA. Matsoso hails from Maseru, the capital city of Lesotho, a landlocked country surrounded by South Africa. Matsoso’s home country has a population of just over two million, with approximately 40 percent of the nation living below the international poverty line ($1.25 a day). As a youth, Matsoso was adopted by Marc and Pam Maguire, a couple in Louisville, Kentucky. Matsoso joined his five brothers in Louisville, James (23), Lepe (22), Sunny (22), Marc (20) and Setho (19). During his high school career at Louisville’s St. Francis, Matsoso totaled 72 goals in four years, earning all-state accolades. Matsoso had four brothers playing collegiate soccer in 2013, with Lepe and Sunny completing their careers at Northwestern and Maryland, respectively, and Setho playing his debut season at Northern Kentucky University. “It helps a lot because during the offseason, we get to hang out together and talk to each other about the experiences we all have through college,” Matsoso said. “We all try to help each other as much as we can. My other brothers have a lot of experience and they share a lot with me about their college careers.”As far as his collegiate debut, Matsoso turned in a strong season as UK’s lead attacking midfielder. Matsoso, a 5-foot-6, 138-pound speedster, started all 20 games for the Wildcats, one of only two players to start each game of UK’s season. “Being in Lexington has been really fun,” Matsoso said. “Being around my teammates all the time has helped me a lot. We pretty much do everything together. One of my brothers goes to UK too (Marc), so it is like this is my third home. It has been good back home.”He ranked second on the team in minutes played, finishing with one goal and five assists, ranking second on the club. A member of the 2013 Conference USA All-Freshman Team, Matsoso finished with 32 shots fired. “I learned it is all about the team,” Matsoso said. “You have to put the team before yourself. If we work together as a team, then everything will work out how we want it to be.”Kentucky will need Matsoso’s dynamic abilities as a scoring threat in 2014, as the Wildcats replace their top three scorers, including 11 goals between graduated seniors Brad Doliner and Tyler Riggs. While UK must replace some goals, Matsoso and forward Justin Laird combined for 11 assists, and the Wildcats boast a bevy of talented midfield options alongside Matsoso. “Our midfield has a lot of players that allow us to go forward and score goals,” Matsoso said. “It will work out well this year because we have a lot of technical players that like to play and people that love to score goals and push forward more.”Matsoso appears to be an anchor in the midfield for the Wildcats, helping direct the UK attack from his attacking role. “I like playing attacking mid because the ball basically has to find me,” Matsoso said. “From there, I can help the team out a lot with playing with the forward and other players that play behind me. With the players we have, it will work out pretty well this year.”With Kentucky needing to supply some new faces to replace its goal-scoring punch, one question mark that doesn’t need answering is UK’s defensive unit. Returning preseason All-Conference USA goalkeeper Callum Irving, and three of four starters on the backline, UK is poised to have one of the best defenses in the league. “It will help the team a lot,” Matsoso said. “Those guys have been playing with each other for a while now. They understand each other well. (Head coach) Johan (Cedergren) talks to them a lot; they have a lot of individual meetings with Johan and talk about their roles. That will help the team a lot, and that they are only sophomores, they still have a lot of development to go.”Now, two games into his sophomore season, Matsoso’s comfort level is drastically different than at this point in 2013. “I am more comfortable this year,” Matsoso said. “Last year, it was a lot of freshmen coming in and now the freshmen that were here last year are still coming back. Everyone tries to make everyone comfortable to be around and play with. It is getting a lot easier for me to get used to everyone and spend so much time with them.”Kentucky (1-1-0) returns to action on Friday with a grueling weekend in South Bend, Indiana, facing the last two national champions in two games over three days. UK will face 2012 national champion Indiana on Friday, before concluding the weekend with defending NCAA Champion Notre Dame on Sunday.