Florida International defeated Western Kentucky 4-1 on Sunday in Nashville during the Lady Toppers’ final regular-season Conference USA match.

WKU freshman Moka Ito and sophomore Monica Malinen took their second doubles loss of the season, falling to a pair of Panthers 6-4. Seniors Elpida Malamou and Violetta Shatalova were defeated on court two 6-1 and FIU nabbed the doubles point.

Sophomore tandem Natalia De Ugarte and Cindy Oest left their doubles match unfinished and trailing FIU at 5-4.

Singles action began and De Ugarte picked up the first WKU victory of the day, winning 6-3, 6-2. Malamou and Oest both lost in straight sets. Shatalova lost in a second-set tiebreaker.

Ito led when the Panthers clinched the overall match. The Fukushima, Japan, native was only two games away from defeating her ranked opponent in straight sets. Malinen also left her singles match unfinished as her competitor led in the second set.

WKU is 8-6 overall and 2-2 in C-USA action. The Lady Toppers will return to the court for the final time in the regular season Saturday at Memphis.