LEXINGTON, Ky. – LSU fell to No. 4 Kentucky in straight sets, 25-20, 25-19, 25-19, on Friday night at Historic Memorial Coliseum.
LSU (7-7, 2-3 SEC) mounted a late rally in the opening set but was unable to overcome the Wildcats, dropping 25-20 in the first frame. Kentucky (12-3, 4-1 SEC) extended its match lead with a 25-19 win in the second set before using a 9-2 run to pull away in the third and secure the sweep.
Outside hitter Jurnee Robinson recorded 10 kills and 11 digs for her ninth double-double of the season and fifth in the last six matches.
Middle blocker Sanaa Donaie added seven kills on a .429 hitting percentage and one solo block, while middle blocker Jessica Jones contributed six kills and a team-high four blocks.
Setters Lauren Brooker and Martina Villani paced the offense with 19 and five assists, respectively. Both also recorded one kill and one block.
SET 1
Kentucky used a 6-2 run, including three consecutive points, to build a 16-10 lead. The Wildcats extended their advantage to 22-13, prompting LSU to use both of its timeouts. The Tigers responded with a 7-1 run, fueled by three kills from Robinson, but Kentucky held on for a 25-20 win.
SET 2
The second set featured eight ties and four lead changes before the media timeout, with LSU trailing 15-13. Kentucky followed with a 3-0 run to take a 20-15 lead, prompting an LSU timeout. The Wildcats closed out the set, 25-19, scoring eight of the final 12 points to take a 2-0 match lead.
SET 3
LSU jumped out to a 9-4 lead, forcing Kentucky to call its first timeout of the match. The Tigers maintained a slim 15-14 advantage at the media timeout before the Wildcats scored six of the next seven points to take a 20-16 lead. Kentucky went on to close out the set, 25-19, and complete the sweep.
UP NEXT
LSU concludes its road trip against No. 10 Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sunday, Oct. 11. First serve is set for 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
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