Rams Fall in Tight Match With Gophers

Calendar

Show:/

Feb 20

5:00 PM

Women's Tennis

at Brigham Young

Feb 28

12:30 PM

Women's Tennis

vs North Florida

Mar 7

12:00 PM

Women's Tennis

at UC Irvine

Mar 8

Women's Tennis

at UC Riverside

Mar 13

1 PM Outdoors/3 PM Indoors

Women's Tennis

vs Boise State

FORT COLLINS – At some point the value of the weekend will be seen in full.

Three days, three matches, three different cities. The stretch was a test of the endurance of Colorado State's women's tennis team, both on a mental and physical level. While the final day ended with a loss – a 4-3 decision to Minnesota at Genesis Health Club on Sunday – it was possibly the grittiest match the Rams have played this year once all the variables were entered into the equation.

For coach Mai-Ly Tran, she saw the value immediately.

"That's what matches do. We had an opportunity today, three matches this weekend, where we learned something from every single one," Tran said. "This was a good team, and we competed, and we put ourselves in a position to win. There are really good, positive takeaways from this game."

Luana Avelar could see the value herself but didn't understand to the full degree. The team's No. 1 singles player spent the past two days playing ranked foes – a fact she was unaware of until after – putting together a very steady 6-4, 6-4 win over Aiva Schmitz, who is ranked No. 117 in the country.

That last bit of knowledge made the day better for Avelar immediately.

"No way," Avelar said. "And I beat her? OK, that's crazy. I never imagined that after a year. I had no idea. I literally had no idea.

"I was just like really happy that coach put me in this spot because I knew it was going to be challenging, but I trust myself. And then I feel for every match that I went on the court for me was just one point for the team. So, no matter who I play against, it's one point and I'm going to fight to the end. And now I'm literally figuring out how to beat a ranked player, and that makes me so happy. I've worked so hard for this."

She has, having missed the past season with an injury. She wasn't allowed to start jogging, let alone running or playing, until this past June. By July, she was playing matches, getting her stamina back. The physical therapy was constant and still is as she aims to avoid any further setbacks.

What she felt never left her was the feel for the game. That part was akin to getting back on a horse which just bucked her off.

"I've been playing for some years and I'm super competitive. So I thank God it's just something that comes natural to me, the feel for the game," Avelar said. "However, endurance is a big deal, especially because during the summer I worked a lot in Brazil. Then moving up here again to high altitude, that was definitely a challenge, and I'm still working on it."

She didn't have to worry about that so much, remaining a wall in her match with Schmitz. A tight match for sure, but one she never let get out of control. She faced the dreaded 5-2 lead in the second – "I hate it" – and after dropping two successive game, she sat at deuce, claiming the point to take the match.

It's what Tran hoped to get out of Avelar eventually, but she's seen it from the jump of the spring season.

"She's earned it every day in her offseason and how she approaches practice. We have full confidence in her playing in that position and how she carries herself, and she believes that she can beat anybody in that spot," said Tran, who knew she was playing ranked opponents but chose not to point it out. "That has been really nice because she's reliable. She's dependable. She'll fight, and it's really nice to have her leading us in that top position."

Minnesota jumped out to a 2-0 lead staring with the doubles point, then the Rams began their climb back. Unlike Avelar's clean sweep the remaining two victories came in three sets. It also marked the first time the Voeks' sisters posted wins on the same day.

Logan, the junior, came first at the No. 4 slot. After dropping the first set 6-0 to Anali Kocevar, she stormed back two win the final two sets 6-1, 6-2. Then the freshman Dylan followed suit, if not the script.

She claimed the bookend sets 6-2, dropping a tight 7-5 decision in between. Her key? Ride the wave.

"Just keep fighting. Every point's a new point. Every game's a new game, every set's a new set," she said. "It's just staying mentally calm and prepared. I know I can outlast them, so, it's just being prepared to be on the court for a while."

The Gophers rallied back, taking three-set wins at Nos. 3 and 5. It was a tough finish to a long and trying weekend, but even as a youngster, Dylan knows what she saw, what she felt and what the team gained.

No doubt, the Rams were exhausted at the conclusion, but the payoff will come.

"I've seen from the start of the season and the fall how the team plays, but these last three days, the team has fought their butts off, and it really shows all in matches have been tight," Dylan said. "Everyone's been in it, and it's amazing to see everyone has amazing composure on the court, which is truly it's hard to do in tennis. It's a very mental sport, so it's been impressive.

I've loved it. Every single match you have your takeaways, and you have your things to improve, and we reflect on them after the matches, and we take it into the next day or the next weekend, and so I think every single practice and match we'll learn and we get better."

A point the Rams intend to come clearly into view when it matters once again somewhere down the road.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Next Event

Team Stats

Players Mentioned

Luana Avelar

Players Mentioned

Luana Avelar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Colorado State University Athletics