Going Out with a Bang

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Apr 22

TBA

Women's Tennis

vs Mountain West Championships

There are days when the outlook feels bleak. What's slated to be done that day just doesn't vibe with the mood. It feels off.

But some things you just have to do, and when it came to Thursday, no matter how she felt, Luana Avelar wasn't about to sit this one out.

"But then I got here, and then I was around my teammates, and we've got the group going, and then I was, you know what, it's my job, it's my last home match" Avelar said. "Let's go out with a bang."

In a season which has distributed more frustration than festivity, Colorado State's women's tennis team found the perfect exit point by taking down rival Wyoming 4-1 at the CSU Tennis Complex. The Rams may be entering the Mountain West Tournament on Wednesday as the No. 10 seed with a 7-15 record (3-8 in conference), but they'll do so with a jolt of confidence.

Avelar played a key role, making her glad she dragged herself out of her early doldrums.

"Today was just a day -- pure truth -- I didn't want to be on the court. It was a day I woke up, and I was, oh shoot, this doesn't feel like a match day," Avelar said. "I don't want to play a match, because I knew the girl and she would put a lot of balls on the court, no pace, and I was like, I don't have patience for this."

In the end, Avelar did. She helped set the win in motion with a 6-2 victory at No. 1 doubles with Sorcha Caves, with the Rams' No. 3 team of Hanna Haber and Diana Lizarazo wrapping up the point with their 6-4 decision.

Avelar had never played Wyoming's Anastasiia Kochelaevskaia before, but she had watched her play. The Cowgirls' No. 1 player is consistent, moves well and returns a lot of shots. She's also very animated on the court, which Avelar said can play against you sometimes.

But Avelar remained steady in her approach to the match, mixing up her shots and putting her opponent in tough positions, almost entirely out in front on the scoreboard. The end result was a straight-sets victory with matching 6-4 scores, setting off the team celebration.

Now the Rams head to Las Vegas to play Nevada or Utah State in the first round (Wednesday, 10 a.m. MT) with a renewed feeling of what they can accomplish.

"That's what we focused on this week getting ready for the match was using this as momentum and playing the way that we want to play going into the tournament," CSU coach Mai-Ly Tran said. "So they did. They executed really well."

She also threw in the word resiliency, which everyone in the lineup has had to display at bit of at one time or another, for one reason or another. A roster of 10 has given Tran options, moving players around the lineup, giving all a chance to try to get hot.

Or find their way. For freshman Leyla Tozin, going from playing to watching to back to playing was a realization she had to find a way to come to terms with, which she did.

On her terms.

"It was tough, but I think it was really good for me, actually. It gave me some time to reflect on my game because I was on a small losing streak," she said. "I think sometimes we focus too much on the outcome of tennis. Winning. Winning, obviously it feels great to win, but I think I was more focused on that than playing my actual game. So when I got put in the lineup today, I told myself I'm going to go step out there and play my game every single point and play the right way no matter if I win or lose. So that really, really helped me today."

The approach helped her sail through her match, always out in front, each game providing a bit more confidence.

Better yet, the feeling it was the right path to take, enabling her to put a losing skid behind her as she moved from valuing each shot for what it was, each game for what it represented.

"I think it's tough to trust because I've lost three matches. It feels like the end of the world in the moment, but then it's, wait a minute, the fourth one you can win, you know? It just gives you that extra motivation to step up. I was so fired up today to get the win but play the right way to get it."

She posted a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 6, getting her point on the board shortly after Annika Planinsek had wrapped up her win at No. 2, 6-3, 6-0. The Cowgirls snared a point at No. 4 singles to avoid being shutout, then Avelar closed the match down.

Not just any match, but her final home match. Against the biggest rival.

"I think it was just written up so well, and I know it means a lot to her, means a lot to me, means a lot to this team," Tran said. "It's cool when things play out that way and how much she's given to this program. For her to be able to finish it like that in front of the home crowds is amazing."

An exclamation point which had her emotions a far swing from where they were when her alarm went off to start the day.

Dread didn't take long to turn into desire. All she had to do was show up and see who was on the other side.

"It was more like a mental thing, my mind playing games, as if I don't want to play my last home match," Avelar said. "Winning the Border War is amazing. Before conference, after conference … I feel like any time, winning against Wyoming is just different. It's a sweeter taste."

For Avelar, the perfect punctuation.

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Players Mentioned

Luana Avelar

Sorcha Caves

Hanna Haber

Diana Lizarazo

Annika Planinsek

Leyla Tozin