The Valparaiso University tennis team rounded out a week of facing nationally-ranked competition with a 4-0 loss at Florida International on Friday at the FIU Tennis Center in Miami. The match used a clinch-clinch format, so the remaining matches were halted when the team victory was wrapped up. The Panthers, ranked 37^th nationally in the latest Division-I ITA coaches’ poll, represented Valpo’s latest challenging foe after the Beacons competed against a pair of Division-II teams that are ranked in the top-10 nationally this week. FIU (10-2) earned its eighth straight victory.

How It Happened

• Valpo dropped the doubles point when matches concluded on the No. 2 and No. 3 courts. The No. 1 doubles match went unfinished as Valpo’s top tandem trailed in a close match, 4-3.  
• Junior Olivia Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) faced another tough test at the No. 1 singles spot, battling Yasmine Kabbaj, who is ranked 105^th nationally. Olivia won three games in the second set, but Kabbaj won the match in straight sets.
• The other matches that reached their conclusions came at No. 4 and No. 6 singles.
• At No. 5 singles, Mia Bertino (Lockport, Ill. / Joliet Catholic) was up 6-5 in a close opening set at the time play was halted. Amanda Tabanera (Valencia, Calif. / Valencia) was also engaged in a tightly-contested match at No. 3, leading the second set 3-2 after dropping the first 6-4.

Up Next

The Beacons (6-8) have wrapped up a week of matches in Florida and will resume action on Saturday, March 26 at Milwaukee at 1 p.m.