MIAMI, Fla. – The Boston University women's tennis team opened its week-long trip to the Sunshine State with a hard-fought 5-2 loss at No. 30 Florida International. 

The Panthers (8-2) won a tiebreaker in the third doubles match for the first point and then won four singles points to defeat the Terriers (3-5).

Senior Shelly Yaloz led BU by first teaming with sophomore Kaitlin Tan for a 6-3 win at No. 2 doubles and then posting a 7-5, 7-5 victory at No. 5 singles. Freshman Michelle Kleynerman also picked up a singles win in straight sets at line 4 against FIU, 7-5, 6-1. 

In doubles, FIU posted a 6-1 win in the top match and then edged juniors Sofia Kostirko and Steph Nguyen, 7-6(6), at line 3 for the 1-0 advantage. The Panthers then won in straight sets at lines 1, 3 and 6 with freshman Sydney Sharma forcing a tiebreaker in a 6-1, 7-6(3) loss in the No. 6 contest. 

Sophomore Victoria Carlsten battled her opponent at line 2 to three sets but ultimately came up just short, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.

The Terriers will next face Duquesne on Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Miami. The Dukes are led by former Terrier, Vanessa Steiner ('11).

#30 Florida International - 5, Boston University - 2

SINGLES
1) Yasmine Kabbaj (FIU) def. Kaitlin Tan (BU): 6-3, 6-1
2) Kamila Umarova (FIU) def. Victoria Carlsten (BU): 4-6, 6-1, 7-5
3) Andjela Skrobonja (FIU) def. Erica Di Battista (BU): 6-2, 6-2
4) Michelle Kleynerman (BU) def. Andreea Velcea (FIU): 7-5, 6-1
5) Shelly Yaloz (BU) def. Ines Bekrar (FIU): 7-5, 7-5
6) Basak Akbas (FIU) def. Sydney Sharma (BU): 6-1, 7-6(3)

DOUBLES
1) Umarova/Skrobonja (FIU) def. Kim/Di Battista (BU): 6-1
2) Tan/Yaloz (BU) def. Velcea/Kristina Miletic (FIU): 6-3
3) Kabbaj/Bekrar (FIU) def. Sofia Kostirko / Steph Nguyen (BU): 7-6(6)