Rams Take Down Creighton for Fourth Straight Win

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FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Being ranked is cool, especially for a program like Colorado State.

Really, two years ago, who would have pictured the Rams' women's tennis program cracking the ITA poll. Or being a threat for a Mountain West title, like they were last year, reaching the tournament semifinals for just the second time. All of it's great, even if they don't talk much about it, but Radka Buzkova says they all realize what comes with the territory where they've ventured.

"We don't talk much about it; that's true. It's just nice to be able to have that and it's showing we've done the work and that the results are there," Buzkova said after Sunday's 5-1 victory over Creighton at the Fort Collins Country Club. "It's also pressure on the other hand. Teams are more motivated to go against us, so it's harder to play with the ranking. We're not the underdogs anymore, like we were last year. It's a bit different position for us, and we're getting used to it."

The Rams were solid, even if head coach Mai-Ly Tran felt they could have been a bit more focused in spots. The expectations she has helped to create come with a higher responsibility, something she feels the team has handled well for the most part in an 11-2 run through the non-conference portion of dual play, but also something they have yet to fully grasp.

Changing the perception of the program took time. Learning to live with it is an important layer.

"I think for us it was setting a standard higher and holding ourselves accountable to that high standard and knowing what we're capable of. There's no limits," Tran said. "It's like anything is possible, and consistently setting a higher standard for Colorado State. It's known people want to beat a ranked team, and that's the art of being the underdog in some matches and being the favored one and how you handle those situations. How do you handle when you're the team that's better and expected to win? We're challenged by those matches, and those are good for us."

The Rams clinched the victory in the first four decisions, earning the doubles points as the No. 1 team of Buzkova and Emily Dush posted a 6-2 decision, the No. 3 team of Sarka Richterova and Viktoryia Zhadzinskaya matching the result.

Buzkova and Dush then earned singles points at Nos. 1 and 3, respectively. Buzkova won in straight sets, 6-3; 7-5; Dush needed a third, prevailing 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

The oddity was the first CSU player off the court was Zara Lennon, who has been the last Ram on the court in clinching four of the victories. Moving up to the No. 2 spot for the first time, she cruised to a 6-4, 6-0 win. Those results clinched win for the hosts, but with a trio of matches on the courts, the teams wanted to take a chance at giving some players more match time.

It enabled the Bluejays to grab a win at No. 6, but it also gave Richterova a prime opportunity to gain some confidence, which she seized in pulling out a 5-7, 7-6 (1), 10-7 victory.

At No. 4, CSU's Sarah Weekley had just won her first set 7-5, but the match went unfinished. The Bluejays still had to drive home, and their No. 5, Leanne Kendall was up 4-1 in the second set, on the verge of winning and getting the bus packed. Richterova had other plans.

And some inspiration. She does like a crowd, and up in the stands was a little girl she's made friends with the past few years at team community functions.

"I saw her cheering, and I thought, 'I just can't lose this match,'" Richterova said.

Down 5-2, she rallied back to tie the match. Down 6-5, she forced a tiebreak, which she won, 7-1. The third set was a 10-point tiebreak, with Richterova taking control late for the 10-7 decision.

For her, it was more than just a basic victory.

"It was a lot of fun. I was really happy I got to finish this, because if we get stopped, I don't get a chance to fight," she said. "I think it's really important for me moving forward, getting confidence and knowing I can win those matches. Confidence is important for every tennis player. I feel it's 50 percent of tennis.

"There's going to be lot of pressure for us, because we're supposed to be the best in conference, so we need a lot of confidence to fulfil those expectations."

In practice, she's been working with the coaches on swinging through balls, even if that means some of them clear the court and hit the fence, or, in the case of the country club, the tarp behind. She hit it more than she would have liked the first set, and even the early part of the second, but sticking with the plan enabled her to gain a rhythm and place some crucial winners.

She's also been working on her serve, and that work gave her consistent confidence throughout. It was especially important in the tiebreaker scenarios, using it to her advantage.

"I've been working a lot on my serve, doing reps and reps and reps. I know I can hit eight out of 10 in practice, so I have confidence I can put it in on the important points," she said. "Like the first set, I was struggling in the return game, but my service games, it was easy for me to gain. It's good to have something to build on."

As it is for the team as a whole. Tran's arrival has created a momentum, one the Rams know they need to build on as Mountain West play begins next weekend on the road in Fresno, Calif.

Being good is not the plan. The goal is to be at the top at the end.

"Obviously we're ranked and doing well, but now it's kind of the part of the season where it's important to beat those teams and get seeded well for the conference tournament. We're excited," Buzkova said. "People in college tennis recognize us more, and they know Colorado State is a tough team to play. It's nice to be part of something bigger."

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- STALWART -

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