The Tigers (5-11-2, 1-7-1 SEC) dropped their fifth match on the spin in SEC play this season while also falling to the Wildcats (11-5, 6-3) for the third-straight time in the series since the 2012 season.

LSU goalkeeper Catalina Rubiano was called into action early in the contest as she made her first of a career-high eight saves on the night with a diving stop to her right to deny Kentucky defender Cara Ledman with the opener on the first shot on target of the match in the eighth minute of play. Rubiano eclipsed her previous career-best of six saves made in LSU’s last outing at 16^th-ranked Georgia last Sunday afternoon.

But the Wildcats would strike first in the 27^th minute of the first half as Pope fired home her second goal of the season with a left-footed effort from the top of area. After receiving a centering pass from substitute Kelli Hubly near the top of the box, Pope took a touch to her left and fired a curling effort beyond the outstretched arms of a diving Rubiano and inside the left post to give Kentucky a 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats were nearly pegged back within minutes of scoring the opener when Summer Clarke’s shot from distance rattled the crossbar and out of play for a Kentucky goal kick. LSU’s All-SEC striker worked her way into space outside the penalty area and let loose a right-footed strike from 20 yards that came within inches of leveling the score in the 33^rd minute of the first half.

After taking their 1-0 lead into the break, Klump doubled Kentucky’s advantage to 2-0 just five minutes from the restart with her team-leading seventh goal of the season at the 50:21 mark of the second half.

Sophomore striker Zoe Swift led the attack down the right flank as she broke free in the box and looked as though she would round Rubiano for a simple tap in to double Kentucky’s lead herself, but the Tigers’ keeper help Swift up just enough for defender Alexis Urch to recover and clear the initial shot off the line. LSU’s reprieve was short-lived as Klump pounced on the loose ball at the penalty spot and rifled home the rebound to give the visitors what proved to be an insurmountable two-goal lead with 40 minutes to play.

The Tigers forced Braun into three saves on nine shot attempts on the night with rookie midfielder Christyna Pitre coming closest to pulling a goal back from Natalia Gomez-Junco’s corner kick in the 84^th minute of play. Gomez-Junco picked out Pitre just beyond the six-yard box, but her header was fired directly at Braun who preserved the shutout for Kentucky’s fourth-straight clean sheet in conference play.

After opening up their three-game homestand against Kentucky on Friday night, the Tigers will take Saturday off before returning to action on Sunday afternoon when they welcome the No. 8-ranked Florida Gators to Baton Rouge for a match that is scheduled to kick off at 1:05 p.m. CT at the LSU Soccer Stadium. Sunday’s match will also be featured on the SEC Network+.