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Colorado State University Athletics
Friday, March 13
Fort Collins, CO
1 PM Outdoors
Colorado State
0
vs
4
No. 68 Boise State
Rams Drop Conference Opener
3/13/2026 7:16:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Home dual seized by No. 68 Boise State
FORT COLLINS – High winds hit the campus on Thursday, taking down some of the storied trees in the scenic Oval, leading to road and even class closures.
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While the weather tempered down a bit Friday, Colorado State's tennis team was hoping to take down some tall timber of its own with No. 68 Boise Stat visiting to open Mountain West play. What is required to take down is a series of strong, consistent swings, all made confidently it will lead to taking it down.
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At the CSU Tennis Complex, in a match delayed two hours due to air quality from wildfires in Nebraska, coach Mai-Ly Tran was pretty pleased with some of the swings her team took, but her Rams are still a squad looking for more consistency throughout the lineup as it fell 4-0.
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"I think for us it's really being steady and disciplined and trusting our shots and really problem solving and not kind of riding the roller coaster of maybe an opponent playing well and missing a few shots," she said. "Really just trusting themselves from the beginning so that we can really play our games. I think we are starting to do that on some courts.
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"I think it's a small margin with our mindset of we're playing well, we've been doing the right things and trusting it, and it'll really take a turn as soon as they believe it first. We are starting to, and we just need everybody to do it on the same day."
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The Broncos had to earn the doubles point, posting 6-4 wins at the bottom two lines, the Rams leading at No. 1 6-5 when it was abandoned.
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Where the Rams struggled in spots was stopping momentum. On a few courts, Boise State players were able to string multiple games in succession, giving them margin for error when a CSU player found a groove. Boise State secured the team win with straight-sets victories at the Nos. 1, 4 and 5 singles positions.
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Over on Court 3, Annika Planinsek was finding what she'd been looking for and doing so on a day when she wasn't feeling her best. She led her match 6-4, 4-2 when the dual was decided, dragging her bag and a trash can with her.
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"I had to show up. I mean, I'm still here with my team. I still play for the team,"Â Planinsek said. "And this is not all about me. I had to show up, and I tried my best no matter the circumstances. Every time I stepped on the line I said I'm gonna give it my all.
Â
"It feels good to know that no matter what I'm able to dig deep. I had that discipline to do it for the team and for myself."
Â
When a player is searching for their game for any reason, getting a glimpse of what they expect it to look like is a bonus. Her search has come through injury, gaining back a feel for her ground strokes and increasing her endurance.
Â
When a competitor finds it on a day when they don't think it's possible, there's an added lift to the confidence. She was in control the entire time, setting up shots and moving her opponent, never letting anything get away from her for any meaningful stretch of time.
Â
"It feels so good. After the matches in California, I think something clicked," she said. "I think I went over that little hurdle that I was missing. In the beginning of the season I was out, and then I was kind of trying to find my way back into my groove. I feel like I finally … I'm playing. I'm very satisfied with my own thing. I'm really happy."
Â
A court next to her, Sorcha Caves was putting forth a battle of her own, taking the opening set and in a back-and-forth in the second. A court behind Planinsek, Diana Lizarazo had gutted out dropping a tight first set by taking a lead in the second.
Â
Tran has seen it from everybody at certain times. The next step is putting it all together and seeing Planinsek come into form is a positive step for the team.
Â
"It's huge for I think Annika and Sorcha today. The last few matches they've been playing, and they've been figuring out ways," Tran said. "Annika didn't feel great today, and she was able to find ways to be winning and was right there."
Â
The Rams started with a top dog when it came to beginning conference play, the Broncos being one of two ranked teams in the league (Grand Canyon is No. 57). There will be a flow to it, with a pair of matches for four weeks, the fifth bringing a flurry of a finish with three duals in seven days.
Â
The opening weekend concludes Sunday when Utah State visits. The Aggies dropped a 4-0 match to Wyoming on Friday.
Â
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While the weather tempered down a bit Friday, Colorado State's tennis team was hoping to take down some tall timber of its own with No. 68 Boise Stat visiting to open Mountain West play. What is required to take down is a series of strong, consistent swings, all made confidently it will lead to taking it down.
Â
At the CSU Tennis Complex, in a match delayed two hours due to air quality from wildfires in Nebraska, coach Mai-Ly Tran was pretty pleased with some of the swings her team took, but her Rams are still a squad looking for more consistency throughout the lineup as it fell 4-0.
Â
"I think for us it's really being steady and disciplined and trusting our shots and really problem solving and not kind of riding the roller coaster of maybe an opponent playing well and missing a few shots," she said. "Really just trusting themselves from the beginning so that we can really play our games. I think we are starting to do that on some courts.
Â
"I think it's a small margin with our mindset of we're playing well, we've been doing the right things and trusting it, and it'll really take a turn as soon as they believe it first. We are starting to, and we just need everybody to do it on the same day."
Â
The Broncos had to earn the doubles point, posting 6-4 wins at the bottom two lines, the Rams leading at No. 1 6-5 when it was abandoned.
Â
Where the Rams struggled in spots was stopping momentum. On a few courts, Boise State players were able to string multiple games in succession, giving them margin for error when a CSU player found a groove. Boise State secured the team win with straight-sets victories at the Nos. 1, 4 and 5 singles positions.
Â
Over on Court 3, Annika Planinsek was finding what she'd been looking for and doing so on a day when she wasn't feeling her best. She led her match 6-4, 4-2 when the dual was decided, dragging her bag and a trash can with her.
Â
"I had to show up. I mean, I'm still here with my team. I still play for the team,"Â Planinsek said. "And this is not all about me. I had to show up, and I tried my best no matter the circumstances. Every time I stepped on the line I said I'm gonna give it my all.
Â
"It feels good to know that no matter what I'm able to dig deep. I had that discipline to do it for the team and for myself."
Â
When a player is searching for their game for any reason, getting a glimpse of what they expect it to look like is a bonus. Her search has come through injury, gaining back a feel for her ground strokes and increasing her endurance.
Â
When a competitor finds it on a day when they don't think it's possible, there's an added lift to the confidence. She was in control the entire time, setting up shots and moving her opponent, never letting anything get away from her for any meaningful stretch of time.
Â
"It feels so good. After the matches in California, I think something clicked," she said. "I think I went over that little hurdle that I was missing. In the beginning of the season I was out, and then I was kind of trying to find my way back into my groove. I feel like I finally … I'm playing. I'm very satisfied with my own thing. I'm really happy."
Â
A court next to her, Sorcha Caves was putting forth a battle of her own, taking the opening set and in a back-and-forth in the second. A court behind Planinsek, Diana Lizarazo had gutted out dropping a tight first set by taking a lead in the second.
Â
Tran has seen it from everybody at certain times. The next step is putting it all together and seeing Planinsek come into form is a positive step for the team.
Â
"It's huge for I think Annika and Sorcha today. The last few matches they've been playing, and they've been figuring out ways," Tran said. "Annika didn't feel great today, and she was able to find ways to be winning and was right there."
Â
The Rams started with a top dog when it came to beginning conference play, the Broncos being one of two ranked teams in the league (Grand Canyon is No. 57). There will be a flow to it, with a pair of matches for four weeks, the fifth bringing a flurry of a finish with three duals in seven days.
Â
The opening weekend concludes Sunday when Utah State visits. The Aggies dropped a 4-0 match to Wyoming on Friday.
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Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3
#1 Singles Match
12
Zdena Safarova / 0 [WTEN]
76
50
#2 Singles Match
123
Tereza Polakova / 0 [WTEN]
35UF
63UF
#3 Singles Match
123
Masa Viriant / 0 [WTEN]
42UF
64UF
#4 Singles Match
12
Allison isaacs / 0 [WTEN]
66
31
#5 Singles Match
12
Paula Schaefer / 0 [WTEN]
67
25
#6 Singles Match
123
Carla Grignac / 0 [WTEN]
64UF
35UF
Order of Finish:
4,1,5
Players Mentioned
CSU Tennis (W) Sights and Sounds: New Mexico
Sunday, March 31
CSU Tennis (W): UTEP SIghts and Sounds
Sunday, March 03
Colorado State Women's Tennis: Sights and Sounds vs. Wyoming
Monday, April 23
Colorado State Women's Tennis: Sights and Sounds vs. UNC
Friday, April 20