Erica Pickering
Hanna Haber during her hit at the Jon Messick Invitational match at the Colorado State University Tennis Complex in Fort Collins Colorado Sept. 12.
Colorado State women’s tennis opened its fall tournament schedule Friday with a day that showcased flashes of dominance, hard-fought rallies and the growing chemistry of a roster, blending newcomers with experienced returners.
Freshman pair Dylan Voeks and Diana Lizarazo made their doubles debut against Chicago, but nerves set in quickly for the opening game. Lizarazo’s serve lacked consistency early, giving UC chances to step into returns, but Voeks’ aggressive volleys and smashes helped steady the Rams.
“I think our first match was a little messy because it was our first time playing together,” Lizarazo said. “But in the second match, we started to understand each other better and communicated more.”
The Rams surged ahead, creating a three-point distance before UC rallied back, forcing tense exchanges at the net, and that’s when the lapse in judgment struck.
The pair had been debating whether to stick with their strategy or change tactics, the indecision leading to a brief dip; however, the Rams evidently regrouped. They went on to target the net player, forcing her away from baseline rallies.
“We had that moment where we weren’t sure if we should keep doing what was working or try something new,” Voeks said. “That’s where we lost some points. But then we went back to what was working: hitting cross-court and setting up chances at the net.”
And by the closing games, both players leaned on their strengths.
Voeks’ forehand punished UC with pace and accuracy, while Lizarazo found rhythm on her serve, capping the set with a confidence-building second-serve ace.
“My serve isn’t my strongest shot,” Lizarazo said. “But I know I can place it when I need to — especially under pressure.”
Across the complex, duo Stella Simpson-Morgan and Leyla Tozin delivered one of the day’s highlights in a tiebreaker thriller against New Mexico State.
As the score was tight late in the game, Simpson-Morgan’s heavy serve forced a weak lob from NMSU, which Tozin finished with authority at the net. Tozin then slammed home a big first serve at 6-3 to close out the breaker, solidifying the victory and electrifying the CSU team.
That same momentum carried into singles play, where Tozin again took center stage. Her versatility proved to be a big weapon against her opponent, as she mixed drop shots with heavy forehands to dictate tempo. Tozin cruised to a 6-2 opener win while repeatedly exploiting the backhand side.
“I just wanted to change the rhythm and keep her guessing,” Tozin said. “Once I saw her backhand break down, I made sure to keep going there.”
Meanwhile, CSU transfer Annika Planinsek competed in her first matches since arriving from Ball State and went through a trial by fire in her singles draw.
Planinsek opened with confident serving and crisp groundstrokes, but unforced errors midway through the first set gave her opponent — NMSU — momentum. She dropped the opener 3-6 but battled back in the second, forcing a tiebreak after a series of grinding rallies.
Despite her resilience, she fell 5-7.
“It was nerve-wracking, (it) being my first college match here,” Planinsek said. “I thought I did well tactically and technically, but those long rallies got to me. I know I need to keep working on my first-serve percentage and staying consistent deep into sets.”
The dual workload — doubles in the morning followed by singles in the afternoon — proved both energizing and draining. Players noted that starting with doubles provided an adrenaline boost, but adapting to the different tactical demands was a challenge.
“Singles is a completely different mindset,” Tozin said. “In doubles, you rely on your partner and set up points together. In singles, it’s all on you.”
For CSU, Friday was as much about development as it was results.
It emphasized the importance of testing different pairings and seeing how newcomers adjust to the pressure of multi-day tournaments.
“Even though it’s new, it feels like we’re starting something that can grow into a really good partnership,” Lizarazo said.
With individual wins, narrow losses and a handful of statement moments, CSU’s opening day reflected both the promise and the work still ahead for a program looking to climb in the Spring.
“There’s a lot we can build on,” Voeks said. “Communication, consistency, closing out leads — all of that comes with time. We’re learning how to trust each other out there.”
Reach Joey Demyanovich at sports@collegian.com or on X @RMCollegianSpts.