UNLV Keeps Rams from Perfect Finish on Senior Day

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FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Alyssa Grijalva's senior sendoff came a year later than expected, but at the very least, she was happy she finally had one.

It was supposed to come last year, but the global pandemic took that off the table. What she didn't know at the time was she'd get a second chance to play for Colorado State women's tennis team, extending her career a fifth season. With the unexpected invite back to the fold in January, she was walking back into a pandemic season again, only this time the world had advanced enough to move forward with some aspects of life.

Such as tennis and a Senior Day. Saturday's event at the CSU Tennis Complex was filled with smiles, laughter and memories, but visiting UNLV erased any chance of a perfect home finish with a 4-0 Mountain West victory, snapping a two-match streak for CSU.

"It's crazy. I think it was really nice having a senior day after I didn't have one last year," she said. "I got a text from my parents right before I played singles and they said they were watching it. It was the last match, but it wasn't as planned, but I have that indoor match from Saturday."

Grijalva, Emma Corwin, Emily Luetschwager, Priscilla Palermo and Lou Regen all played their final home match for the Rams on Sunday, but before the balls popped out of the cans, coach Jarod Camerota spoke about all of them while standing on Court 1, looking into a live stream feed so the parents could enjoy the moment virtually.

After some air hugs and some laughs, play began and it was pretty tight through the doubles play. CSU held leads at both of the top two spots, but dropped the point as UNLV won at the No. 2 and 3 spots, and Camerota isn't sure his team recovered from that setback.

"We were real close at doubles. We had match point at No. 1, and No. 2 doubles was right there," he said. "I think we let losing the doubles point affect us. The last two matches we won the doubles point and we won the match. But that's just one out of seven. It can feel like a lot, but it's still just one point. We can learn a lot from that. If you lose doubles, you can still win 6-1."

Palermo went toe-to-toe with Izumi Asano at the No. 1 singles spot and led 6-4, 3-2 when play was halted when the Rebels' straight-sets wins at Nos. 2, 5 and 6 secured the team point. Just a court over from her, Tracy Guo had bounced back from a 6-0 loss in the first set at No. 4 singles to take the second 6-1 and was tied 2-all with Connie Li.

"We've just got to get comfortable getting outdoors, playing in the elements. We practiced a lot in it, but we have to adjust to the match," Camerota said. "Priscilla had a really good singles match today. Her opponent is tough, but she was up a set and was up in the second. Tracy did a great job of coming back. She lost the first set, then won the second right away. We've just got to get used to outdoor tennis and the elements. I think we'll bounce back. We're looking forward to next weekend with Utah State and Boise State."

Emily Luetschwager knows the scores matter when you are playing. Years from now, she's pretty sure she won't remember any of them anyway, so what she's taking away most is the entirety of the final weekend at home, which does include the program's first win over San Diego State.

Standing on the court during the ceremony, her mind took her to many places, but none of them was actually a match.

"It's pretty special. Back in January, we were like, are we even having a season? Are we actually playing matches?" she said. "To think that we've made it all the way to April – with a few cancelations – but that could be expected. The fact that we've gotten to play matches and got to be outside her for senior day one last time is pretty awesome.

"It all kind of blends together at this point. It's all the little moments, and they tie together. I can't tell you the best match I've ever played. That would take a lot of thinking, but all the little moments with the team, that's what it's all about. Usually all our stories start with, 'remember that time …' and it's not, 'I beat that girl,' it's something else."

The Rams conclude their season this upcoming weekend in Logan, Utah, facing host Utah State on Saturday, followed by the season finale with Boise State on Sunday.

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