Colorado State University Athletics
Sunday, September 20
Fort Collins, CO
All Day
Colorado State
vs
Jon Messick Invitational
Rams Close Messick Feeling Chive
9/20/2026 3:17:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Players and coach share positive feeling about weekend
The team was – as birthday girl Diana Lizarazo phrased it – chive.
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Feeling chill vibes, so chive. For the most part, fall tournaments should feel that way. Especially the first one. Especially on their home courts. Fall is about building and constructing, not perfection.
Â
Which is an approach first-year Colorado State coach Blake Mosely wants his squad to view the first nine weeks of the season. It only took one season for Dylan Voeks to figure that part out. Understand there are mental and physical aspects to be addressed without the expectation they have to be on point the first day. Or tournament.
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"It's just building growth. You're never going to have a perfect day out there, so just learning as you go," the sophomore said. "Spring is where it needs to come together, but fall is just growing. There are always things from last spring to build on that I came into this year with, but I went home over the summer training, focused on them coming back. Altitude's a different world too, so it's combining everything. Something new every day, but you keep the main things."
Â
As the host team for the Jon Messick Invitational at the CSU Tennis Complex this weekend, the Rams landed one title in the main double draw as Sorcha Caves and Annika Planinsek beat Utah State's Sabina Pintea and Natalie Paterova 6-2, while teammates Leyla Tozin and Stella Morgan took third in the draw with a 6-4 decision against Eugenia Ceinos and Ivona Ridan of Wyoming.
Â
In the other flight, Dylan teamed with her sister, Logan, falling 6-2 to the Utah State tandem of Giulia Musat and Tayla Wilmot.
Â
Dylan would return to the court and pick up a singles win, an extra match outside of the draw, as did Tozin. The side matches are just as much a part of the fabric of fall tournaments as are the brackets which are drawn up.
Â
The goal is to play. All of them are trying to win without stressing over the outcome. That happens in the fall, when individual results contribute to a team outcome. Fall tournaments are about putting the toolbox together.
Â
Sometimes it is about getting back into the flow.
Â
Stella Morgan missed a good portion of her freshman season dealing with an ailment, one which when figured out led to her having brain surgery in June. There was the removal of a disk from her spine, as well as her tonsils, allowing for proper blood flow up the stem.
Â
She wasn't cleared for anything until August, had a setback initially, then was given the green light to return to the court slowly right before coming back to campus. Now in season, the plan remains cautious.
Â
Not her strong suit.
Â
"I hate the feeling of everyone being like, 'hey well for having brain surgery you're doing really good.' Â I just cut that out when I'm on the court," she said. "I don't even think about it. I don't even think about it just here in the moment, Â just try to do my best that I can.
Â
"It's great to be back. It's great to be with the team just in the environment again and not have to worry about if I fall, what if I have a seizure, what if something else happens. It's knowing that that's kind of gone now -- knock on wood -- but obviously I'm still my hardest critic so I'm always gonna try to be the best I can be."
Â
So she too picked up a condensed singles match to prove to herself and others she is regaining form.
Â
Mosley is still getting to know her, but he loves her spirit. That rings true for his entire roster. He's appreciated their attitudes to all which is new and that which is still to come. They work hard. They make him laugh, and scratch is head. As he would expect.
Â
"From day one till now has been an incredible; it's just been incredible so far. They're working their butts off and they're really hungry to improve in all aspects," he said. "They're just a fun group to be around.
Â
"The first tournament is always just a barometer of what we're trying to do, but I feel like they've totally bought in to my kind of philosophy and what I'm expecting from them. I'm super happy where we're at."
Â
So are the players, to a degree. Competitors always want and expect more, even in a setting which is supposedly more relaxed. Morgan isn't the only Ram dealing with physical limitations, a fact which will be navigated during the fall.
Â
Those coming back from injury are redefining their pain threshold while trying not to turn something nagging into a long-term issue. It can become frustrating, just the same as it is with working on a skill and trying to carry it into a match.
Â
Dylan spent her summer taking the lessons of her first year into individualized training sessions geared towards making improvement.
Â
"It was a lot of technical stuff like keeping my weight forward, moving into the court more, putting them in place, and practice is where it starts," she said. "Matches, you don't always get what you want. It's kind of dealing with what you're given that day, but practice is really where it comes through.
Â
"This weekend was just surviving and getting through it, and it feels really good."
Â
Rather chive, one would say.
Â
Â
Feeling chill vibes, so chive. For the most part, fall tournaments should feel that way. Especially the first one. Especially on their home courts. Fall is about building and constructing, not perfection.
Â
Which is an approach first-year Colorado State coach Blake Mosely wants his squad to view the first nine weeks of the season. It only took one season for Dylan Voeks to figure that part out. Understand there are mental and physical aspects to be addressed without the expectation they have to be on point the first day. Or tournament.
Â
Â
"It's just building growth. You're never going to have a perfect day out there, so just learning as you go," the sophomore said. "Spring is where it needs to come together, but fall is just growing. There are always things from last spring to build on that I came into this year with, but I went home over the summer training, focused on them coming back. Altitude's a different world too, so it's combining everything. Something new every day, but you keep the main things."
Â
As the host team for the Jon Messick Invitational at the CSU Tennis Complex this weekend, the Rams landed one title in the main double draw as Sorcha Caves and Annika Planinsek beat Utah State's Sabina Pintea and Natalie Paterova 6-2, while teammates Leyla Tozin and Stella Morgan took third in the draw with a 6-4 decision against Eugenia Ceinos and Ivona Ridan of Wyoming.
Â
In the other flight, Dylan teamed with her sister, Logan, falling 6-2 to the Utah State tandem of Giulia Musat and Tayla Wilmot.
Â
Dylan would return to the court and pick up a singles win, an extra match outside of the draw, as did Tozin. The side matches are just as much a part of the fabric of fall tournaments as are the brackets which are drawn up.
Â
The goal is to play. All of them are trying to win without stressing over the outcome. That happens in the fall, when individual results contribute to a team outcome. Fall tournaments are about putting the toolbox together.
Â
Sometimes it is about getting back into the flow.
Â
Stella Morgan missed a good portion of her freshman season dealing with an ailment, one which when figured out led to her having brain surgery in June. There was the removal of a disk from her spine, as well as her tonsils, allowing for proper blood flow up the stem.
Â
She wasn't cleared for anything until August, had a setback initially, then was given the green light to return to the court slowly right before coming back to campus. Now in season, the plan remains cautious.
Â
Not her strong suit.
Â
"I hate the feeling of everyone being like, 'hey well for having brain surgery you're doing really good.' Â I just cut that out when I'm on the court," she said. "I don't even think about it. I don't even think about it just here in the moment, Â just try to do my best that I can.
Â
"It's great to be back. It's great to be with the team just in the environment again and not have to worry about if I fall, what if I have a seizure, what if something else happens. It's knowing that that's kind of gone now -- knock on wood -- but obviously I'm still my hardest critic so I'm always gonna try to be the best I can be."
Â
So she too picked up a condensed singles match to prove to herself and others she is regaining form.
Â
Mosley is still getting to know her, but he loves her spirit. That rings true for his entire roster. He's appreciated their attitudes to all which is new and that which is still to come. They work hard. They make him laugh, and scratch is head. As he would expect.
Â
"From day one till now has been an incredible; it's just been incredible so far. They're working their butts off and they're really hungry to improve in all aspects," he said. "They're just a fun group to be around.
Â
"The first tournament is always just a barometer of what we're trying to do, but I feel like they've totally bought in to my kind of philosophy and what I'm expecting from them. I'm super happy where we're at."
Â
So are the players, to a degree. Competitors always want and expect more, even in a setting which is supposedly more relaxed. Morgan isn't the only Ram dealing with physical limitations, a fact which will be navigated during the fall.
Â
Those coming back from injury are redefining their pain threshold while trying not to turn something nagging into a long-term issue. It can become frustrating, just the same as it is with working on a skill and trying to carry it into a match.
Â
Dylan spent her summer taking the lessons of her first year into individualized training sessions geared towards making improvement.
Â
"It was a lot of technical stuff like keeping my weight forward, moving into the court more, putting them in place, and practice is where it starts," she said. "Matches, you don't always get what you want. It's kind of dealing with what you're given that day, but practice is really where it comes through.
Â
"This weekend was just surviving and getting through it, and it feels really good."
Â
Rather chive, one would say.
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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