Colorado State University Athletics
Friday, September 18
Fort Collins, CO
All Day
Colorado State
vs
Jon Messick Invitational
Starting the Process of Building
9/18/2026 3:56:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Rams open up season on home courts
A break was needed, and the summer months provided the necessary distance.
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Needed mentally. Needed physically. There were still workouts, and even some match play for some. While Leyla Tozin appreciated space, there was still a nagging feeling deep in her mind.
Â
"I 100% missed it. I think the break was really nice, but it makes you eager to get back on the court again," Tozin said, now a sophomore on the CSU women's tennis team. "I was definitely really excited to be competing back with the girls again. It's really special, college tennis, where you get the team aspect of it. You get to support your teammates.
Â
"It's really exciting for me. I was really excited to compete back at the college level. It's so fun."
Â
The season began on the home courts, hosting a scaled-down version of the Jon Messick Invitational. Just four teams – the Rams included – and not all of visitors have full rosters. After spending the first couple of weeks back on campus practicing with your team, the players are ready for a fresh challenge.
Â
Competition against someone not on your side. Someone you really want to beat.
Â
Or in the case of Blake Mosley, a chance to get to know some people – especially those on his Colorado State roster.
Â
The first-year coach has worked with them at practice, but personalities and performance react differently when there is a true winner and loser. These three days – play continues at the CSU Tennis Complex through Sunday – are like reading a book for him, as each chapter will provide more information, even a plot twist or two.
Â
"We do a lot of individual work as well to try to figure that stuff out. We can't create that same pressure in a practice situation," Mosley said. "It's good to see how they manifest that kind of pressure or how they handle it, but it's good. We just told them, if we keep improving like we've improved the last few weeks, we're gonna be in really good shape by the end of the year."
Â
The Rams split matches on the day in singles (2-2) and doubles (3-3), partly because Tozin and partner Stella Morgan had to play teammates Annika Planinsek and Sorcha Caves in the semis of Flight A. Planinsek and Caves advanced to the finals in a tiebreak, proving to Mosley what he's seen in practice to be factual: There is strong competition on his roster.
Â
Caves is in her fourth season of college, her second at Colorado State. Mosley is her third coach, and it's also the fourth season she's started the year at the Messick Invite, the first two years while playing with South Dakota.
Â
Each year is more comfortable than the last, but each one carries a reason to adapt, be it new teammates or even coaches. What she's learned over time is to stay true to herself when she plays, especially for a new coach.
Â
"I think you slowly learn that. You come in as a freshman, you feel like there's all these expectations and pressures on you and you want to impress the coach," she said. "I think the more you learn as you go through, you want to do it for yourself because then you're actually focusing on how you want to be as a player. Then your coach can actually learn how to help you in that situation.
Â
"I think it's important to see because you never really know what you need during a match until you have a coach on your court. I've now had three coaches during my career in college. It's interesting to see how each and every one interacts with us. Today was super exciting. He was giving me some good tips during my match, which really helped."
Â
The weekend will remain fun for her, as the Scottish import has her parents, Catriona and Patrick, in town to watch her play, and also go to their first football game. Sorcha grabbed the tickets for Saturday's football game, giving her more time with her family and another reason to really look forward to the weekend.
Â
"It's fun. It's nice having them at matches. They just love supporting," she said. "They love supporting everybody else. The whole team loves them."
Â
And they know nothing about football.
Â
"They won't have a clue," she said.
Â
But Tozin, who went on to win her singles match, can understand what her teammate has already learned. Each season changes, and as she entered the complex Friday morning, she knew a big part of feeling that way was her.
Â
Also, the reason for the smile.
Â
Nerves have become joy. Pressure feels like a privilege to be playing in college, and most importantly, for this team.
Â
"I think I put a lot of pressure on myself last year. This year I just wanted to play and have fun," she said. "It felt more normal to be out here. I kind of knew what I was doing a bit better than last year.
Â
"I think it's fun. I think there's a lot of new things going on this year for our team. I think it's really exciting and fun. It's something I look forward to. I think Coach Blake is great and I love our team. So yeah, I'm just having fun."
Â
The break was great. Now it's over, and as Tozin believes it generated confidence the best part is just getting started.
Â
Â
Needed mentally. Needed physically. There were still workouts, and even some match play for some. While Leyla Tozin appreciated space, there was still a nagging feeling deep in her mind.
Â
"I 100% missed it. I think the break was really nice, but it makes you eager to get back on the court again," Tozin said, now a sophomore on the CSU women's tennis team. "I was definitely really excited to be competing back with the girls again. It's really special, college tennis, where you get the team aspect of it. You get to support your teammates.
Â
"It's really exciting for me. I was really excited to compete back at the college level. It's so fun."
Â
The season began on the home courts, hosting a scaled-down version of the Jon Messick Invitational. Just four teams – the Rams included – and not all of visitors have full rosters. After spending the first couple of weeks back on campus practicing with your team, the players are ready for a fresh challenge.
Â
Competition against someone not on your side. Someone you really want to beat.
Â
Or in the case of Blake Mosley, a chance to get to know some people – especially those on his Colorado State roster.
Â
The first-year coach has worked with them at practice, but personalities and performance react differently when there is a true winner and loser. These three days – play continues at the CSU Tennis Complex through Sunday – are like reading a book for him, as each chapter will provide more information, even a plot twist or two.
Â
"We do a lot of individual work as well to try to figure that stuff out. We can't create that same pressure in a practice situation," Mosley said. "It's good to see how they manifest that kind of pressure or how they handle it, but it's good. We just told them, if we keep improving like we've improved the last few weeks, we're gonna be in really good shape by the end of the year."
Â
The Rams split matches on the day in singles (2-2) and doubles (3-3), partly because Tozin and partner Stella Morgan had to play teammates Annika Planinsek and Sorcha Caves in the semis of Flight A. Planinsek and Caves advanced to the finals in a tiebreak, proving to Mosley what he's seen in practice to be factual: There is strong competition on his roster.
Â
Caves is in her fourth season of college, her second at Colorado State. Mosley is her third coach, and it's also the fourth season she's started the year at the Messick Invite, the first two years while playing with South Dakota.
Â
Each year is more comfortable than the last, but each one carries a reason to adapt, be it new teammates or even coaches. What she's learned over time is to stay true to herself when she plays, especially for a new coach.
Â
"I think you slowly learn that. You come in as a freshman, you feel like there's all these expectations and pressures on you and you want to impress the coach," she said. "I think the more you learn as you go through, you want to do it for yourself because then you're actually focusing on how you want to be as a player. Then your coach can actually learn how to help you in that situation.
Â
"I think it's important to see because you never really know what you need during a match until you have a coach on your court. I've now had three coaches during my career in college. It's interesting to see how each and every one interacts with us. Today was super exciting. He was giving me some good tips during my match, which really helped."
Â
The weekend will remain fun for her, as the Scottish import has her parents, Catriona and Patrick, in town to watch her play, and also go to their first football game. Sorcha grabbed the tickets for Saturday's football game, giving her more time with her family and another reason to really look forward to the weekend.
Â
"It's fun. It's nice having them at matches. They just love supporting," she said. "They love supporting everybody else. The whole team loves them."
Â
And they know nothing about football.
Â
"They won't have a clue," she said.
Â
But Tozin, who went on to win her singles match, can understand what her teammate has already learned. Each season changes, and as she entered the complex Friday morning, she knew a big part of feeling that way was her.
Â
Also, the reason for the smile.
Â
Nerves have become joy. Pressure feels like a privilege to be playing in college, and most importantly, for this team.
Â
"I think I put a lot of pressure on myself last year. This year I just wanted to play and have fun," she said. "It felt more normal to be out here. I kind of knew what I was doing a bit better than last year.
Â
"I think it's fun. I think there's a lot of new things going on this year for our team. I think it's really exciting and fun. It's something I look forward to. I think Coach Blake is great and I love our team. So yeah, I'm just having fun."
Â
The break was great. Now it's over, and as Tozin believes it generated confidence the best part is just getting started.
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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