Colorado State University Athletics
Tennis Preview: Rams road trip through California
3/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
FULL RELEASE AND STATS
THIS WEEK
This week, Colorado State travels to California for its annual spring break tour. The Rams already defeated NAIA's Vanguard for the second consecutive year, and will now play three matches in four days starting on Wednesday, March 18. The Rams will face Cal State Fullerton (3/18), Towson (3/19) and Cal State Los Angeles (3/21).
Cal State Fullerton will enter Wednesday's match with a 7-9 record, but are currently riding a two-match losing streak. The Titans are led by sophomore Alexis Valenzuela, who has compiled a 7-3 record at the No. 1 singles position this season. Overall, she is 11-8.
Towson holds a 9-8 record heading into Tuesday's match at Cal State Northridge, while Cal State Los Angeles is 5-5, having won three of its last four matches.
LAST TIME OUT
The Rams won their second consecutive match with a victory on Tuesday over Vanguard in California. This is the first time CSU has rattled off back-to-back victories since last spring break.
Playing NAIA rules, the Rams won 9-0 winning all three doubles matches and all six singles contests.
NEW DIGS
For CSU, with a new season also comes a new tennis facility. The Fort Collins Country Club just finished major renovations which includes a state-of-the-art indoor tennis facility that the Rams will use for a handful of home matches this season.
The facility has three courts as well as several viewing areas for fans to watch the matches.
IN THE FALL
Colorado State competed in four tournaments in the fall, including its annual CSU Invitational. The Rams were led by senior Natalie Heffron and newcomer Laia Hernandez Soler who each won eight singles matches. Laia's twin sister, Aina, was not far behind winning six singles contests.
In doubles action, Heffron and Adriana Wojakowska racked up eight victories while Rebecca Costa/Madison Porter won six matches.
NEW SEASON, NEW TEAM
In head Coach Jon Messick's 29th year at Colorado State, the Rams' roster features three transfers and a freshman as well as six letterwinners from 2013-14.
Messick believes that fans will quickly get to know the new squad, and enjoy watching CSU tennis.
"We are a new team," Messick said. "We have four new players, so our lineup is going to be a lot different. We'll be a lot more competitive, and we have more depth. I think we're better and we'll be better to watch because the new players are flashy."
