Colorado State tennis secured its first conference win of the season Friday against San Jose State.

That win didn’t come easily, however. It took the team overcoming close matchups and giving its all to the very end to taste victory.

“They just keep getting up, and they keep fighting and showing up after some tough losses and continuing to trust the process and work at it,” head coach Mai-Ly Tran said. “So, they’re prepared, and today it showed in the result.”

One Ram in particular showed this mindset in both her doubles and singles matches.

Sorcha Caves began the day with a new tradition, writing the word “believe” on her wrist before the match as a reminder to herself.

“It’s just a reminder for myself to believe in myself; I’m good enough to do these things,” said Caves

It appears that her reminder worked.

Beginning the day with her doubles partner Luana Avelar, they secured the only doubles win for the team to kick things off.

“This week, we had a real focus on doubles, and I think (Avelar) and I are so confident in our doubles that we knew we could do it,” Caves said. “Then going into singles, I think I took that momentum.”

The singles match was where Caves really shined. She played hard and came out on top, not only winning her match but scoring the final point CSU needed to win the dual as well.

Caves’ win did not come easy, though.

Two of three sets in the match went to a tiebreaker, but the tight matchup didn’t get to her

Down 5-3 games in the final set, she won three games in a row and brought the match to a tiebreaker. With all eyes on her, this tiebreaker was not just the make or break for her match but for the entire dual.

“I was always told, ‘Don’t say I need to, say I want to,’” Caves said. ” So, I was telling myself I want to win. I want to do it for this team and for the coaches, so I think that’s how I managed to overcome the pressure, because it’s something so much bigger than I am.”

With cheers behind her, Caves won her match and proved she can overcome pressure.

While Caves sealed the dual, it couldn’t have been without the rest of the team. After losing the doubles, the Rams won four of their singles.

“I wasn’t going to allow myself to lose that match after that second set,” Caves said.

With wins from Annika Planinsek, Diana Lizarazo and Leyla Tozin, everyone did their part to ensure a Ram’s victory.

Lizarazo swept her sets, winning 6-2 twice in a row for an early victory in the singles for the Rams. Planinsek lost her first set 6-3, but was undeterred and went on to win her next two sets to take her match and secure a second point for the Rams

Tozin won her first set and lost her second. In her third set, she played clean and effectively and won 6-3, securing the third point to push CSU to 3-3 and trusting in Sorcha to break the tie.

“After I lost the second set, I gave myself a commitment,” Tozin said. “I told myself, ‘I’m committing to positivity. No matter if I miss, no matter if I lose points, I’m just committing myself to positivity in the third set.’ I think that really helped me because positivity is a huge component of my game.”

The Rams needed to get the ball rolling on conference play, and this dual is what they needed to start that momentum.

“Every single conference match is going to be a battle and a fight,” Tran said. “This is why we play. This is why I coach.”

Reach Mason Ford at sports@collegian.com or on social media @mason_ford2891.

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