Colorado State University Athletics
Friday, March 28
Fort Collins, CO
1 PM (Outdoors)/3:30 PM (Indoors)
Colorado State
0
vs
4
UNLV
Rebels Take Down Rams at Home
3/28/2025 4:45:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Weekley continues to push for breakthrough at the top
FORT COLLINS – There is a badge of honor which comes with being a team's No. 1 player. The position should also come with a bit of Kevlar. As good as you may be, you're going to be taking the opposition's best shot, match after match.
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Which is what Sarah Weekley has done this season for Colorado State's women's tennis team. She herself will point out to you she hasn't won a singles match since dual play began this spring, but she and coach Mai-Ly Tran know it is not from a lack of effort. Or talent. Sometimes, timing has worked against her, as it did on Friday, unable to finish her match with UNLV's Cindy Hu in the Rebels' 4-0 victory at the CSU Tennis Complex.
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Battle on. Push on.
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"We talked about that. I think she's handled it really well," Tran said. "It's tough to be in that position. You play a tough opponent every single match, and she's had a lot that are unfinished. I have full confidence in her, and I'm happy she was able to believe in that today.
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"There are different styles at that No. 1 spot, but she handles it really well and is sticking with it. She's competitive, she wants to win. She wants it. I love that. She cares so much, she wants to win one for the team. She's one of the most selfless players on the team. I love that she doesn't give up."
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Weekley was at her consistent best in the match against a foe with All-Mountain West pedigree. The Rams' senior won the opening set 6-4 and was tied at 4-all in the second when the Rebels clinched the match, pushing CSU to 3-13 on the season, 1-4 in conference play.
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What Tran witnessed was a player who entered with a plan and executed it. Like everybody else, there are things Weekley is working to do better during the season, but she was moving well on the court, being aggressive and playing to back up the assertation her coach has, that Weekley among the top-third talent wise in the Mountain West.
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All she lacks is some results.
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"It's tough playing the No. 1 every time, but I like the challenge. I've lost pretty much every match, and I don't' know why, it makes me even more eager to win," Weekley said. "I just want to win a match, and I'm determined to win a match.
Â
"(Assistant coach) Pasha (Zinchenko) and I worked on some stuff this week, like being aggressive and moving into the court this week and finishing at the net. I've been hitting with him and had an individual with him, and that really helped a lot."
Â
The way she played was encouraging for her, and she's ready to do it again Sunday when the Rams host No. 49 San Diego State. Mostly likely, with the weather report, the match will be played at the Fort Collins Country Club (1 p.m.).
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Indoors or outdoors doesn't matter. Weekley is looking to break through, and doing so will require her remaining steady mentally and physically.
Â
"I think I'm playing better than my record. I think it's tough to stay consistent," she said. "Stay at the same level throughout the whole match, stay consistent. It's working on being consistent and staying at the same level. It's tough."
Â
But you stick with it because when the momentum turns, it's worth the wait. It could be the right day, even the right set.
Â
Teammate Victoria Erechtchenko lived the feeling herself on the day. She and Nikol Mircheva played a tight opening set at No. 4, one the Rebel took 7-5. But the turnaround was impressive as Erechtchenko led 4-0 in the second when the afternoon came to a close.
Â
All Erechtchenko had to do was break a code – Mircheva's serve – and once she did, she was crusing.
Â
"Her serve might be even tougher than Logan (Voeks') to return for me, and she's consistent. Figurign out how to return them was honestly my biggest struggle," Erechtchenko said. "Once I got into the rally, I was able to slowly figure out what she likes to do and how I should place the ball. Honestly, we didn't have a lot of rallies in the first set.
Â
"Sometimes you have matches where you don't know what you should be doing, or you feel like your tactic is not working. This was a match where I felt I was doing the right thing, I just had to figure out how to do the returns so I could start the rally, start the point. Once that happened, I knew what to do. I knew how to build the point and how to win it."
Â
The Rams, with a forfeit at singles, have consistently had a smaller margin for error. Maryia Dobreva was able to return to the lineup in doubles, though she had to serve underhand, which at least gave the Rams a full lineup there. UNLV, one of three unbeatens in conference entering the weekend, won the two doubles matches they needed for that point, then picked up straight-sets wins at Nos. 2 and 3.
Â
Erechctchenko was trying to get back to even. Weekley and Diana Lizarazo were on path for wins, each with one set in hand.
Â
It wasn't to be. But like Weekley knows, there's another match, another chance coming. You just keep pushing and take your best shot, all while absorbing those of the opponent.
Â
Â
Which is what Sarah Weekley has done this season for Colorado State's women's tennis team. She herself will point out to you she hasn't won a singles match since dual play began this spring, but she and coach Mai-Ly Tran know it is not from a lack of effort. Or talent. Sometimes, timing has worked against her, as it did on Friday, unable to finish her match with UNLV's Cindy Hu in the Rebels' 4-0 victory at the CSU Tennis Complex.
Â
Battle on. Push on.
Â
"We talked about that. I think she's handled it really well," Tran said. "It's tough to be in that position. You play a tough opponent every single match, and she's had a lot that are unfinished. I have full confidence in her, and I'm happy she was able to believe in that today.
Â
"There are different styles at that No. 1 spot, but she handles it really well and is sticking with it. She's competitive, she wants to win. She wants it. I love that. She cares so much, she wants to win one for the team. She's one of the most selfless players on the team. I love that she doesn't give up."
Â
Weekley was at her consistent best in the match against a foe with All-Mountain West pedigree. The Rams' senior won the opening set 6-4 and was tied at 4-all in the second when the Rebels clinched the match, pushing CSU to 3-13 on the season, 1-4 in conference play.
Â
What Tran witnessed was a player who entered with a plan and executed it. Like everybody else, there are things Weekley is working to do better during the season, but she was moving well on the court, being aggressive and playing to back up the assertation her coach has, that Weekley among the top-third talent wise in the Mountain West.
Â
All she lacks is some results.
Â
"It's tough playing the No. 1 every time, but I like the challenge. I've lost pretty much every match, and I don't' know why, it makes me even more eager to win," Weekley said. "I just want to win a match, and I'm determined to win a match.
Â
"(Assistant coach) Pasha (Zinchenko) and I worked on some stuff this week, like being aggressive and moving into the court this week and finishing at the net. I've been hitting with him and had an individual with him, and that really helped a lot."
Â
The way she played was encouraging for her, and she's ready to do it again Sunday when the Rams host No. 49 San Diego State. Mostly likely, with the weather report, the match will be played at the Fort Collins Country Club (1 p.m.).
Â
Indoors or outdoors doesn't matter. Weekley is looking to break through, and doing so will require her remaining steady mentally and physically.
Â
"I think I'm playing better than my record. I think it's tough to stay consistent," she said. "Stay at the same level throughout the whole match, stay consistent. It's working on being consistent and staying at the same level. It's tough."
Â
But you stick with it because when the momentum turns, it's worth the wait. It could be the right day, even the right set.
Â
Teammate Victoria Erechtchenko lived the feeling herself on the day. She and Nikol Mircheva played a tight opening set at No. 4, one the Rebel took 7-5. But the turnaround was impressive as Erechtchenko led 4-0 in the second when the afternoon came to a close.
Â
All Erechtchenko had to do was break a code – Mircheva's serve – and once she did, she was crusing.
Â
"Her serve might be even tougher than Logan (Voeks') to return for me, and she's consistent. Figurign out how to return them was honestly my biggest struggle," Erechtchenko said. "Once I got into the rally, I was able to slowly figure out what she likes to do and how I should place the ball. Honestly, we didn't have a lot of rallies in the first set.
Â
"Sometimes you have matches where you don't know what you should be doing, or you feel like your tactic is not working. This was a match where I felt I was doing the right thing, I just had to figure out how to do the returns so I could start the rally, start the point. Once that happened, I knew what to do. I knew how to build the point and how to win it."
Â
The Rams, with a forfeit at singles, have consistently had a smaller margin for error. Maryia Dobreva was able to return to the lineup in doubles, though she had to serve underhand, which at least gave the Rams a full lineup there. UNLV, one of three unbeatens in conference entering the weekend, won the two doubles matches they needed for that point, then picked up straight-sets wins at Nos. 2 and 3.
Â
Erechctchenko was trying to get back to even. Weekley and Diana Lizarazo were on path for wins, each with one set in hand.
Â
It wasn't to be. But like Weekley knows, there's another match, another chance coming. You just keep pushing and take your best shot, all while absorbing those of the opponent.
Â
Follow us at -- Twitter: @CSUTennis | Instagram: @csuramstennis | Facebook: @CSUTennis
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Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3
#1 Singles Match
123
Cindy Hu / 0 [UNLV]
44UF
64UF
#2 Singles Match
12
Veronika Kliuch / 0 [UNLV]
66
13
#3 Singles Match
12
Coco Zhao / 0 [UNLV]
66
32
#4 Singles Match
123
Nikol Mircheva / 0 [UNLV]
70UF
54UF
#5 Singles Match
123
Kaho Oyama / 0 [UNLV]
25UF
64UF
#6 Singles Match
1
Sofiia Sokolvak / 0 [UNLV]
WF
0
Order of Finish:
2,3,6
Players Mentioned
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