Colorado State University Athletics
Sunday, March 29
Fort Collins, CO
11 AM Outdoors/12:30 PM Indoors
Colorado State
4
vs
1
Fresno State
Rams Sweep Home Weekend
3/29/2026 2:51:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Team turns frustration into elation after topping Fresno State
FORT COLLINS – The line between frustration and payoff can feel razor-thin at times, but it is one of the tougher thresholds to cross in athletics.
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All the players are talented. They all put in the work, and most of them are dealing with some part of their body which doesn't feel all that great. Yet they push with the intent of seeing results.
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Results Colorado State's tennis team had been struggling to find the first two weekends of Mountain West play. Matches were being decided before players could post a victory, making emptiness feel like a wide chasm.
Â
This weekend, that all changed. Friday, Sorcha Caves pulled out a tight 4-3 decision to earn the Rams their first victory of the weekend, then Sunday at the CSU Tennis Complex she put the final touches on a 4-1 victory over Fresno State, a bit less stress but no less a feeling of elation from the team.
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Double, actually.
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"In all of the matches we've been there; the score hasn't been reflective because it's like 4-0, but, yes, all the of the other matches it could easily have been 4-3," freshman Leyla Tozin said. "We're right there. Today I think the girls really stepped up in doubles to take the point and get us in the lead and it was just like this weekend was so fulfilling for us because yeah, we needed these wins."
Â
For the first time in league play, CSU made the path to victory shorter by claiming the doubles point, as the No. 2 tandem of Annika Planinsek and Dylan Voeks rallied from a late deficit to win 7-5, then watched as the No. 3 pairing of Stella Morgan and Logan Voeks put the final touches on a 6-4 win.
Â
Coach Mai-Ly Tran has been mixing and matching tandems outside of the top pair. Just as much as Friday's win helped create some momentum, do did the opening salvo.
Â
"It had been a while since we knew the impact of the doubles point in our favor and so to really get that I think just gave us momentum into the singles," Tran said. "But I did tell them just pretend like we don't have that and we need to earn it on every singles court. I'm just proud of how it's paying off this weekend."
Â
Tozin played as if she had an appointment to keep, taking down Klara Vukicevic 6-2, 6-1. She was not in the doubles lineup, and thus, excited to get out and set a tone. She started out quickly, and with each added game in her favor, she continued to pick up the pace.
Â
No reason to relent.
Â
"I really wanted to put a point on the board for the team. Friday I did win my match, I pulled it out, but I wanted it to feel confident," she said. "I wanted to trust my shots today, and I think I did exactly that. The girl took some medicals, but I stayed focused throughout the match and that was really important to me
Â
"I knew that if I let myself get frustrated and stuff like it could easily go the other way. I need to play for myself and the team today to get a point for us, and I'm just so happy I could pull it out be honest."
Â
She spent the rest of the sunny afternoon bouncing from court to court encouraging her teammates. Before long, two of them joined her in posting straight-sets wins, the first coming from Annika Planinsek at No. 2
Â
The transfer has spent the season regaining her health, gutting out all of her appearances. She put that fire on display Friday, an early misstep on the court shooting pain up her back, but she shrugged it off and won.
Â
Sunday she eliminated extra drama with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Sofia Pizzoni. Again, the win wasn't so much for her as it was for the squad.
Â
"It's home courts, so we were protecting the courts. It was good momentum for the team's win on Friday, and today," she said. "Going into an away weekend I think this weekend was really good for us.
Â
"I don't think anybody's ever 100%. I think the thing we have on the team is there are no excuses, no pity party. You go out there and you put whatever you have on that day out, and that's what I did on Friday and that's what I did today. For me it was really important to know that I could finish a match. Before I was up and I got interrupted, didn't get to finish, but now I know I can finish that match."
Â
As a coach, Tran pushes them to reach potential, knowing full well she can't control what another team will do, what amazing shot an opponent will pull out. She could sense the losses were starting to build up on them mentally, and all she wanted for her squad was to see the work pay off.
Â
Now she has a team with some momentum.
Â
"Yeah, and this is the time. We've kind of worked through some things, had some bumps, but I think everything is meant for a reason, our story," she said. "Now we're looking to just get better and better and to peak at the tournament."
Â
Friday was a spark, and a dramatic one with the way Caves turned a deficit into a victory. For her and for Colorado State. Sunday's match wasn't as close, with the Rams' No. 3 player wrapping up a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Andjela Lopicic.
Â
Even still, the celebration was just as meaningful, just as emphatic.
Â
Results matter. The Rams crossed the line, and they'd like to keep it that way moving forward.
Â
Â
All the players are talented. They all put in the work, and most of them are dealing with some part of their body which doesn't feel all that great. Yet they push with the intent of seeing results.
Â
Results Colorado State's tennis team had been struggling to find the first two weekends of Mountain West play. Matches were being decided before players could post a victory, making emptiness feel like a wide chasm.
Â
This weekend, that all changed. Friday, Sorcha Caves pulled out a tight 4-3 decision to earn the Rams their first victory of the weekend, then Sunday at the CSU Tennis Complex she put the final touches on a 4-1 victory over Fresno State, a bit less stress but no less a feeling of elation from the team.
Â
Double, actually.
Â
"In all of the matches we've been there; the score hasn't been reflective because it's like 4-0, but, yes, all the of the other matches it could easily have been 4-3," freshman Leyla Tozin said. "We're right there. Today I think the girls really stepped up in doubles to take the point and get us in the lead and it was just like this weekend was so fulfilling for us because yeah, we needed these wins."
Â
For the first time in league play, CSU made the path to victory shorter by claiming the doubles point, as the No. 2 tandem of Annika Planinsek and Dylan Voeks rallied from a late deficit to win 7-5, then watched as the No. 3 pairing of Stella Morgan and Logan Voeks put the final touches on a 6-4 win.
Â
Coach Mai-Ly Tran has been mixing and matching tandems outside of the top pair. Just as much as Friday's win helped create some momentum, do did the opening salvo.
Â
"It had been a while since we knew the impact of the doubles point in our favor and so to really get that I think just gave us momentum into the singles," Tran said. "But I did tell them just pretend like we don't have that and we need to earn it on every singles court. I'm just proud of how it's paying off this weekend."
Â
Tozin played as if she had an appointment to keep, taking down Klara Vukicevic 6-2, 6-1. She was not in the doubles lineup, and thus, excited to get out and set a tone. She started out quickly, and with each added game in her favor, she continued to pick up the pace.
Â
No reason to relent.
Â
"I really wanted to put a point on the board for the team. Friday I did win my match, I pulled it out, but I wanted it to feel confident," she said. "I wanted to trust my shots today, and I think I did exactly that. The girl took some medicals, but I stayed focused throughout the match and that was really important to me
Â
"I knew that if I let myself get frustrated and stuff like it could easily go the other way. I need to play for myself and the team today to get a point for us, and I'm just so happy I could pull it out be honest."
Â
She spent the rest of the sunny afternoon bouncing from court to court encouraging her teammates. Before long, two of them joined her in posting straight-sets wins, the first coming from Annika Planinsek at No. 2
Â
The transfer has spent the season regaining her health, gutting out all of her appearances. She put that fire on display Friday, an early misstep on the court shooting pain up her back, but she shrugged it off and won.
Â
Sunday she eliminated extra drama with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Sofia Pizzoni. Again, the win wasn't so much for her as it was for the squad.
Â
"It's home courts, so we were protecting the courts. It was good momentum for the team's win on Friday, and today," she said. "Going into an away weekend I think this weekend was really good for us.
Â
"I don't think anybody's ever 100%. I think the thing we have on the team is there are no excuses, no pity party. You go out there and you put whatever you have on that day out, and that's what I did on Friday and that's what I did today. For me it was really important to know that I could finish a match. Before I was up and I got interrupted, didn't get to finish, but now I know I can finish that match."
Â
As a coach, Tran pushes them to reach potential, knowing full well she can't control what another team will do, what amazing shot an opponent will pull out. She could sense the losses were starting to build up on them mentally, and all she wanted for her squad was to see the work pay off.
Â
Now she has a team with some momentum.
Â
"Yeah, and this is the time. We've kind of worked through some things, had some bumps, but I think everything is meant for a reason, our story," she said. "Now we're looking to just get better and better and to peak at the tournament."
Â
Friday was a spark, and a dramatic one with the way Caves turned a deficit into a victory. For her and for Colorado State. Sunday's match wasn't as close, with the Rams' No. 3 player wrapping up a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Andjela Lopicic.
Â
Even still, the celebration was just as meaningful, just as emphatic.
Â
Results matter. The Rams crossed the line, and they'd like to keep it that way moving forward.
Â
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2,3
#1 Singles Match
123
Paulina Montiel / 0 [FST]
63UF
73UF
#2 Singles Match
12
Sofia Pizzoni / 0 [FST]
24
66
#3 Singles Match
12
Andjela Lopicic / 0 [FST]
44
66
#4 Singles Match
1234
Eliza Dunbar / 0 [FST]
640UF
261UF
#5 Singles Match
12
Klara Vukicevic / 0 [FST]
21
66
#6 Singles Match
12
Louna Cormier / 0 [FST]
66
41
Order of Finish:
5,6,2,3
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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